ABCs of H50
by Rogue Tomato
Summary: A collection of short stories in alphabetical order. Various genres, various characters... each chapter a different letter and a different story.
1. A is for Aloha

**A/N: **Inspired by KalaKitsune's ABC drabbles of various fandoms, I've decided to do some short stories, alphabet-style, for Hawaii Five-0. I hope to update often, but with real-life, who can really say. :) I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of its characters.

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>A is for Aloha<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -****

Danny straightened his tie as the elevator slowly climbed to the third level. It wasn't unusual for the captain to call him in to the precinct this late at night. Murder didn't always happen during normal business hours, after all.

He sighed. This would probably be his last case as a Detective for the Newark Police Department. Depending on the complexity of this case, he may not even be able to finish it. His replacement had been found and would be starting next week. Danny was already packed and ready to leave for Hawaii on Monday.

Only three more days left in New Jersey. Three more days of home.

Danny knew in his heart that Jersey hadn't really been home since Grace left. It had been two full months since he had last seen Grace face-to-face. Two months since he'd watched his ex-wife and her new husband take his little girl to a rock five thousand miles away. Two months since he'd last held her hand or given her a kiss goodnight or heard her laugh as he tickled her tummy. He missed her more than he'd ever missed anything in his life.

So even though Danny's family was still here – his parents, sisters and brother, New Jersey wasn't really home anymore. Home was now wherever Grace was. And Grace was in Hawaii.

Danny sighed again, looking down at his shoes as the elevator continued to climb. Putting in his transfer request to the Honolulu Police Department had been a relatively easy choice to make. He hadn't agonized over the decision… he knew that this was what he had to do. Being a good father to Grace was his most important mission in life.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to miss his home state.

The elevator doors finally slid open, revealing the large offices of the Newark Police Department. Bright lights hit him square in the face, forcing him to squint his eyes. He nearly jumped out of his pants at the sudden eruption of noise.

"SURPRISE!"

Shouts and applause came from everywhere as he slowly walked forward off the elevator in shock. The entire precinct stood before him. Everyone was smiling and applauding him as he continued into the room, taking in each and every face. He received countless slaps on the back and handshakes from his fellow officers, co-workers and friends.

At the far end of the office, where his desk was situated, a giant banner hung from the ceiling: ALOHA DANNY!

He smiled as he took in the sight. A large buffet had been prepared, full of foods he assumed he'd have to get used to eating once he got to Hawaii: pineapples, coconuts and bananas. Fish, pork and chicken. There was the largest selection of fruity drinks he'd ever seen in one place. Someone had even taken the time to create a tall pyramid out of cans of Spam.

At the center of the room stood his partner, wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt and a lei draped around his neck. Danny's heart sank when he saw that he was holding another one in his hand.

"Danny, get over here!" his partner's voice boomed over the general commotion of the party. Danny complied, but gave his partner what he hoped was an evil glare as a lei was put over his head.

"Frank, you son-of-a…." Danny started, but Frank pulled him into a hug before he could finish.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Frank pulled away, but squeezed Danny's arm reassuringly. "We're going to miss you, man. I still can't believe you are going all the way to freakin' Hawaii! And before our milestone, too!"

Danny smiled and shook his head. Frank had been his partner for 6 years. The two had closed 84 homicide cases, and during the past several months, all Frank could talk about was reaching 100. The 'century milestone' as he liked to call it. He and Danny had made a pact that once they hit 100, they would splurge and purchase two box seats at a Yankees game.

Danny thought Frank might be more upset about never getting those tickets than Danny leaving.

"Frank, just go to a damn game by yourself!" Danny laughed, putting a hand on his partner's shoulder.

Frank shook his head in disbelief. Then, without warning, Frank held up both his hands and waved around, trying to get the gathered crowd to quiet down. Every officer in the place turned to where Danny and Frank stood together.

"Today is a sad day. Today we say _aloha_ to our fellow officer and friend, Detective Danny Williams." Frank swept his arm toward Danny in a grand gesture and everyone began to clap. Danny nodded and gave a small wave.

"Newark, and New Jersey, is losing one of its best sons. But Hawaii is gaining one hell of a detective. God help the crooks that get in the way of Danny Williams!"

Laughter filled the room. Danny rolled his eyes but smiled at Frank's words. He felt every pair of eyes on him, and he suddenly realized that his partner had stepped aside. They were waiting for Danny to say something.

He cleared his throat, not sure of what to say. He found himself looking down at his shoes again, shuffling his feet. It wasn't until Frank slapped him on the back that he picked his head up and once again took in the sight.

These were his friends, not just his co-workers. And while he knew in his heart that going to Hawaii to be with Grace was the best decision he had ever made, in this moment he found it difficult to reign in his emotions.

Damn, he was going to miss New Jersey. And not just the place – his favorite restaurants, dives, or even his office… He was going to miss the people. These people.

"I, uh…" Danny stumbled, not exactly sure what to say.

"Come on, Danny, we've never known you to be at a loss for words!"

Laughter again filled the large room as Danny's head whipped around to the right and he saw his brother, Matty, standing near the back of the room. Somehow he hadn't noticed him when he had first arrived. Next to Matty stood his mom and dad, both beaming up at Danny. He smiled back and turned back to address to the crowd.

"Uh, thanks. Thank you everyone. This… this was quite a surprise and…." Danny waved his arms around, encompassing everyone in his gesturing. "This means a lot to me. I'm going to miss all of you. I'm going to miss this place. But, uh…. I…. well, I don't know what else to say. Thank you."

More applause and Danny did his best to slip through the crowd to his family, accepting more handshakes and exchanging many 'Alohas' along the way. He hugged his parents and brother and then turned to look back again at the gathering of people he'd been working with for most of his professional life. His thoughts began to drift.

What will life in Hawaii be like?

Will he ever feel comfortable in that place like he does here, right now?

Will he find a partner that he can work with as well as he's worked with Frank?

Will he make a difference?

Danny gladly accepted a fruity drink from his mother and raised a toast to his family. It was hard to believe that he only had three more days left in New Jersey. Three more days until his new life began.

His cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out, smiling broadly as Grace's beautiful face glowed back at him.

Three more days until he got to see his little girl again.

Danny was more than ready.

Many of his friends and co-workers were requesting his attention, but Danny's focus was on his phone. He knew he should mingle and chat, but right now he needed to speak to Grace… his daughter… his life. Everyone else would have to wait.

Home was calling.


	2. B is for Barbecue

**A/N: **I forgot to thank the tag-team duo of sockie1000 and Cokie316 for being two wonderful betas for "A" and now "B", and for the foreseeable future, or until they tell me to stop bugging them. :) Thanks ladies!

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>B is for Barbecue<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -****

"Grace! You sunk my battleship!"

The sound of Grace's laughter filled the air.

"That's two in a row, Uncle Steve!" she shouted.

Steve laughed and playfully tossed a small handful of the game pegs across the table where Grace sat. She smiled and threw a few back before the two of them began disassembling their boards.

"You know, the irony isn't lost on me that you lost to my daughter in Battleship."

Steve paused putting the game pieces back in the box to look up at Danny, who was standing next to his chair.

"What, because I'm in the Navy means I should automatically win at a children's board game?"

"Well, not just any game. But a game that markets itself as a Naval Command Game? Yes," Danny stated simply. "You should win at that."

Steve rolled his eyes and shook his head at Grace, who giggled behind her hands.

"You don't agree?" Danny asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Ever played Clue? Or Stop Thief?"

Steve looked over to Grace and then back up at Danny.

"No."

"Well I have. And I've never lost. Why? Because I am a good detective."

Steve moved his chair back and away from the table before standing up.

"Let me get this straight," Steve began, pointing one hand out toward his partner. "Because you are such a good detective, you are able to win at games that are geared toward 8 year olds?"

Danny considered that for a moment.

"Well, when you say it like that…"

"Exactly," Steve concluded. "Are you telling me you never let Grace win?"

"Of course I let Grace win," Danny confessed, his voice lowering slightly. "But only at games she _should_ win at. Besides, what would I be teaching her if I lost at Stop Thief all the time?"

"That it's okay to lose on occasion?" Steve offered.

"Oh, that's rich, coming from the guy who can't stand it when I beat him into work in the morning," Danny remarked. "If I cannot catch a thief in a board game, how could I possibly catch one in real life? The game is merely a demonstration to my child of what I do for a living. Grace needs to have confidence in me that I can do my job well."

"And beating her at that game does that?"

"It does."

"Wow," Steve mused.

"Mmm hmm," Danny agreed.

"That's really deep, Danny."

"Damn straight."

"Uncle Steve?"

Grace's small voice interrupted the two men as she walked over to stand next to Danny, her big brown eyes gazing up at Steve. He bent low at the waist and put his hands on his knees so he was nearly eye-to-eye with her.

"Yes Grace?"

"I'm hungry."

"Yeah Uncle Steve," Danny repeated, looking at his partner with a smirk. "We're hungry."

"Well then, I'll go get dinner started," Steve announced and he made his way across the lanai to where his grill was primed and ready.

"Danno?"

Danny crouched down and scooped Grace up into his arms.

"Yes monkey?"

"Can I go put my feet in the water?"

"Sure!"

Grace wiggled free of her father's arms and ran out to the shore. Danny watched her for a moment and then walked over to Steve.

"What are we having?" Danny asked his partner.

"I got some Opakapaka and Akule ready to go."

Danny stopped walking to briefly close his eyes and shake his head.

"Those cannot possibly be real foods," Danny remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"They're kinds of fish, Danny."

Danny watched as Steve fired up his grill. After the flame was hot, he bent over and opened a cooler to pull out several gallon-sized storage bags. Inside were large pieces of fish marinating in orange-ish looking liquid.

"What's wrong with you?" Danny asked, throwing his hands out to point at the bags of fish. "You can't even grill like a normal person. What about good ol' fashioned American hot dogs? Or burgers?"

"My house, my barbecue, my food."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny groused, opening the cooler to help himself to a beer.

"What I wouldn't give for a potato dog right now."

"A what?" Steve asked as he carefully placed the fish on the grill.

"Po-ta-to dog. New Jersey's finest. Diced potatoes, brown mustard, and spicy meat. It's the best."

"Potato on a hot dog," Steve scoffed, shaking his head. "And you're giving me a hard time about some fish?"

"But it isn't just fish, Steven. It's Oopakapi and his cousin Nemo."

"Opakapaka and Akule," Steve corrected.

"And that's not all," Danny persisted.

"I didn't think it was," Steve joked.

"I could get behind some steak. Or some chicken. But no, you gotta grill stuff like Hula Hula Chicken and Luau Luau Salmon."

Steve laughed as he closed the lid to the grill, setting the tongs aside to pick up his own beer.

"Okay, first, when you butcher the names of Hawaiian food, _great_ Hawaiian food, I might add, you only make yourself look like an idiot. It's Huli Huli Chicken and Lomi Lomi Salmon. And I'm not cooking up exotic creatures here, Danny. It's fish. Maybe if you just lightened up, you might actually learn something."

"I might learn something?" Danny questioned, his eyebrows shooting up. "Please, enlighten me."

"Ok," Steve began after taking a drink of his beer. "You are stuck in a comfort zone of New Jersey food. If you branched out a little bit and just _tried_ something instead of fried foods and starch on hot dogs, you'd learn that you actually _like_ the local food."

"No, you see, that's where you are wrong," Danny countered, stealing a quick glance at Grace before rounding again on his partner. "_Liking_ Hawaiian foods would imply that I_ like_Hawaii."

"And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"No indeed," Danny finished. "So where are the hamburgers?"

Steve shook his head.

"What makes you think I have any burgers?"

"Because I know you and I know you would not invite me and my daughter over here to your place without having any of my so-called comfort food handy."

Steve had to hand it to Danny. He really did have him pegged.

"Alright, just a second."

Steve strode into his house while Danny waited outside to keep an eye on Grace. After he returned to the lanai, he tossed a package of frozen hamburgers toward Danny, who quickly snatched them out of the air.

"And what am I supposed to do with these?"

Steve plastered an innocent grin on his face before walking past his partner and heading toward the grill.

"Cook 'em, Danno."


	3. C is for Crash

**A/N: **Thank you so much for the overwhelming kind reviews to "B is for Barbecue." I sincerely hope I didn't miss anyone in my replies. So, again, I thank you. As a side-note, my prayers go out to everyone on the east coast preparing for Hurricane Irene.

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>C is for Crash<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -****

"This is a bad idea."

"Enough comments from the peanut gallery."

"I am _not_ a peanut gallery. Would you slow down?"

"Slowing down would defeat the purpose, Danny."

"And what purpose is that? Getting us killed?"

"No, apprehending the suspect."

"Which we will be unable to do if we are dead!"

"Would you relax?"

"I can't relax – truck! – when you are driving like a maniac!"

"Look, I didn't think he'd take off like this. This isn't my fault!"

"Of course it is your fault!" Danny screamed, gripping the door handle as Steve took another sharp turn.

They'd been chasing Jeremiah Kelley and his associate for nearly ten minutes, finally getting out of suburban traffic and into a more remote area of the island. Of course, that fact did little to calm Danny's nerves as his knuckles began to throb from gripping the handle so hard.

"What made you think that Kelley – a man convicted several times of grand theft auto, not to mention multiple petty misdemeanors for drag racing, I might add – _wouldn't_ drive off?"

"It just didn't cross my mind, Danny, okay?"

"Of course it didn't," Danny mumbled.

"I'm going to pull up along side."

"Got it," Danny said, no further explanation needed. He lowered his window and pulled out his gun. "Ready."

Steve veered the Camaro to the left and gunned the accelerator, causing the car to surge forward. Danny leaned his arm out the window, taking careful aim, and fired two shots toward the rear tire of the lead car.

"Damn," he cursed, pulling his arm back in as the car bounced over the road.

"I'll try to get us closer."

Steve swerved the car up and over a grassy bank to the left, leaving the two-lane dirt thoroughfare to opt for the service road that was hugging the perimeter of an abandoned warehouse. The paved surface allowed for better handling and for a much higher speed, much to Danny's dismay. As Steve pulled the car forward and parallel to the suspect's vehicle, several gunshots rang out. Only this time it wasn't the Five-0 detective firing.

Danny instinctively ducked down as the bullets whizzed at and into the Camaro. Steve yanked the steering wheel left but didn't let up on the gas as the blue sedan they were chasing suddenly drove up and over the grassy bank to ram into the side of the Camaro. Danny risked straightening back up to fire a few shots off before slouching back down as Kelley's associate returned fire.

Several rounds embedded into the silver car and Danny heard Steve swear under his breath as the car suddenly jerked to the left. There was no time to react as the car blasted through the warped siding of the warehouse. The car lurched to a sudden screeching halt as it slammed into an inner concrete half-wall. Driver and passenger were thrust forward, and Danny's head bashed into the dash and then whipped back against the seat.

Sparks erupted in Danny's vision and he blinked rapidly through the throbbing pain in his head. To his left, he could hear Steve fumbling around in the driver's seat, but Danny could not get his eyes to work right. In what seemed like an instant, Steve was opening the passenger side door and gently lowering Danny down to the hard floor, propping him up so he was leaning against the Camaro.

"Why th' hell d-didnn th' air…bags d-deployy?" Danny asked through clenched teeth, fighting through the pain of his head, and alarmed at how badly he was slurring his words.

"Must've been damaged in the firefight."

"Or the buildin' you jus' drrrove us through…"

"Or that," Steve acknowledged as he checked Danny for injuries.

"St…stop it," Danny whined as Steve prodded his rib cage. "M fine. What happened?"

"We crashed."

"Wow… really?"

"Don't get worked up," Steve scolded. "They shot out both front tires. I couldn't control where the car went after that."

"I am not… not worked up," Danny stuttered, still trying to get the room to stop spinning. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the Camaro. Thankfully Steve's poking and prodding stopped and he was quiet, allowing Danny to get his bearings.

"It's a lovely place," Danny remarked sarcastically, opening his eyes again to see Steve looking at him. "Smells like a shhhit house door off a… a tuna boat."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't find a nicer place for us to crash," Steve shot back, straightening up slightly to look somewhere beyond the Camaro. "Shall I go back and try again?"

"No, no. There will not be an _again… _ever again. Your driving privileges… are hereby revoked."

Steve actually had the gall to look hurt at that comment.

"Don't… give me that look. Ever sssince I met you, I can count on one hand how many times I've been able to drive my own car. And it would take a freakin'… nummmerical algorithm to count how many times my Camaro has been damaged with you behind th' wheel. Do you have any idea the amount of insurance I'm forced to carry on this thing?"

Danny shook his head, but the movement only caused his head to hurt more and he closed his eyes.

"Keep talking, Danny. Your speech is getting better. You're slurring less."

Steve's matter-of-fact tone only pissed Danny off more.

"Shhut up. Effective immediately, you," he paused to point over in Steve's general direction, "are on probation."

"Probation?"

"Yes. Probation. Driving probation."

"Okay," Steve said tentatively, shooting another glance over the hood of the Camaro. "And how does one get off this probation?"

There was a moment's silence as Danny rubbed his temples with his hands.

"That has yet to be determined… but groveling may be involved. And why do you keep lookin' over there?" Danny asked, pointing vaguely over his shoulder.

"I thought I saw some movement."

"Move… ment?" Danny asked, shifting his body around so he could get a look around. He winced and Steve put a hand on his shoulder.

"It was probably nothing," Steve stated unconvincingly.

"Liar."

Danny's accusation was drowned out by several gunshots pinging off the Camaro. Danny did his best to crouch low as Steve popped off a few rounds and ducked back down behind the car.

"It's Kelley," Steve reported in between shots.

"And his pal," Danny finished, looking around for his weapon. "Where's my gun?"

Steve emptied his clip with three more rounds, reloaded and then shot off another volley.

"Steve! Gun!"

Steve hesitated, apparently assessing Danny's condition, before he finally maneuvered around Danny to reach into the Camaro. Steve found where Danny's piece had fallen to the floorboard and handed over the gun before taking up position by the hood of the car. Danny checked how many rounds he had left before clicking the clip back into place. He tried to stand, but a fresh wave of pain prevented him from moving and he sagged back down.

"Shhhiit," he gasped.

"Listen," Steve said, leaning in close to Danny and lowering his voice. "Here are some extra clips. I'll go around, try to draw their fire and catch them off-guard. You stay here, and don't let them get past you."

"I've literally got stars circling my head, Steven. I'm not going to know what I'm shooting at."

"Shoot at anything that moves. Except me."

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Really? This …this is your brilliant plan? Hand a gun to the concussed man… whose car you jus' totaled, by the way… and tell him _not_ to shoot you?"

Steve shrugged as he cocked his weapon.

"It could be worse."

"I suppose," Danny pondered. "It could be _me_ running around like an idiot."

"Exactly," Steve said as he smiled.

"So in this plan of yours, I do nothing?"

"No, you can call for backup," Steve whispered before he ran off at a low crouch.

"Call for backup," Danny mumbled, fumbling around to locate his cell phone. Punching in the correct numbers was another feat in itself, but he managed to reach Chin, and he and Kono were twenty minutes out.

Taking a deep breath, Danny managed to get on his knees and scoot himself around to the rear of the Camaro. He didn't have to wait long for Steve to make his move. The former SEAL leapt out from behind the half wall the Camaro rested against and fired off several rounds as he ran.

Danny squinted, trying to see what he was shooting at, but the sun pouring in from the Camaro-shaped hole in the wall did little to help illuminate the building, and he only saw a large, dark void of nothing. Danny hoisted himself up to a half-stance, using the trunk of the car for support, waiting for the flash of return fire to give him some sort of clue where to shoot.

Several agonizing seconds went by before Danny saw movement to his right. It was small, but something reflective was dancing off the sunlight. He adjusted his aim slightly, waiting to confirm the identity of the person moving in the shadows before taking a shot in the dark… literally. Sun reflected off the weapon the person was holding again and Danny saw it flash at him just in time to duck as several bullets whizzed toward him. He dropped to one knee as they slammed into the rear window of the Camaro, glass shattering everywhere.

Another gunshot rang out and then silence. Danny waited a moment, and then he slowly peered up and over the car. There was nothing. No shooter, no body.

Not to mention no Steve. Where had he gone?

Danny sensed, rather than saw, movement behind him. He swung around a little too fast, and his vision once again went fuzzy. Regardless, he pulled up his weapon and aimed at the man before him. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a gunshot rang out and the man fell to the ground in a heap.

Danny blinked and saw Steve in position where the other man once stood, bending down to check the man's pulse before standing again to holster his weapon.

Frustrated at his own lack of involvement in the firefight, but relieved that Steve was okay, Danny sighed and felt his legs buckle beneath him. Steve was at his side in an instant, his hands gripping Danny's arms tightly, preventing him from dropping to the ground.

"Did you even fire once?" Steve inquired.

"No need with Super SEAL for a partner."

Steve laughed as he helped Danny lower himself back down.

"You okay?"

Danny huffed.

"Do I look okay? My car is wrecked. My head is about to implode. And my partner thinks running straight _at_ the men with guns is a good idea."

"I agree it was a little risky," Steve acceded. "But it was an acceptable risk."

"What exactly is your definition of acceptable?" Danny asked incredulously. "Clearly my car has little value to you. What about me, huh?"

"Danno…"

"Don't _Danno_ me… ya lunatic."

"I would never put you in harm's way… _intentionally_ put you in harm's way," he clarified after seeing the murderous look on Danny's face.

"Mmm hmmm," was all Danny was able to get out. His head hurt and he found it difficult to keep his eyes open.

"Danny, stay with me, man."

"No where to go," Danny mumbled, closing his eyes. "Got no car."

"It's just a car!"

Danny peeked one eye open to glare at his partner.

"It's not _just_ a car, Steven. It is… _my_ car. Mine. I don't have much that I can say is _mine._ But that Camaro? I own it."

Steve sighed.

"I'll get your car fixed, okay?"

Danny gave Steve a slight nod before shutting his eyes again, the sound of sirens blaring in the distance, signaling Chin and Kono's arrival.

"Yes, you will. We'll call it step one of your probation process."

"And how many steps will there be in this process?"

Danny didn't respond right away, contemplating how mad he really was at McGarrett for crashing his car. Steve _did_ just single-handedly take down Kelley and his pal. He supposed that had to count for something.

"Still measuring, babe. Still measuring."


	4. D is for Danno

**A/N:** A big thank you goes out to Louise Hargadon for finding me a "Cook 'em Danno" apron! You can find it yourself online at Zazzle. It's awesome. :)

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>D is for Danno<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - - ******

_"Gracie was three. She tried to say my name, and all that she could say was 'Danno.' That's all that came out: 'Danno'."_

**Six years ago….**

The sun was shining. Birds were chirping. Flowers were in full bloom. It was a perfect spring day.

But Danny Williams had no time to enjoy any of it as he was running extremely late. After taking care of a domestic disturbance, he was already an hour behind schedule, and that was before heading back to the precinct to file a report, grab his car, and drive home. Now he was a good three hours late and Rachel was going to have his head.

He pulled into the driveway at breakneck speed, jumping out of the car and entering the house through the side door that led straight into the kitchen. Rachel stood with her back to Danny, her hair done up in a ponytail, her arms working furiously. Danny slid off his shoes, dropped his keys on the counter and slowly walked around to the other side of the counter so he could face his wife.

Specks of flour covered her face. Her hands were doused in pink frosting. Strands of hair were falling into her eyes, which were cast downward and fixated on her task at hand. But she looked beautiful and Grace's birthday cake looked fantastic.

However, Danny could tell that she was upset. When Rachel was mad at Danny, he could always tell _how_ mad she was based on how she behaved. If he had done something small to aggravate her, she would generally sigh a lot, but would easily tell him what was on her mind. Something larger would result in her confronting him head-on, her voice raised, her cheeks flushed. But they always managed to work things out by being honest with one another.

However, when she was silent, that's when Danny knew things were really bad.

Rachel avoided looking at Danny. Her jaw was set. Her back was rigid. Her shoulders were tense as she worked. But worst of all was the way she spoke when she was this mad. Calm, but extremely deadly.

"Daniel," she said, her eyes still focused on the pink frosting she lathered onto the cake in front of her. "Welcome home."

Danny swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He was not a man who scared easily. But when Rachel was in one of these moods, she was unpredictable. And that was the one thing Danny hated most of all.

"Rachel, I'm sorry I'm late. I'll go get cleaned up, and then I can help…"

"Help?" Rachel interrupted, her voice an octave higher than normal. Her head snapped up and her blazing eyes finally met Danny's. "Help, Daniel? Your entire family is going to be here in fifteen minutes! You were supposed to be home at noon. I've had to bathe Grace, get her down for a nap, all while baking and decorating this cake! Not to mention cleaning the house and wrapping her presents! And now you want to _help_?"

"Rach-"

"Don't _Rach_ me, Daniel. Just…" she deflated slightly, looking back down to the cake on the counter. "Just go and get ready. Grace should be up from her nap soon, and you can put her in her birthday dress while I try to finish up this cake."

He didn't need to be told twice.

After a quick shower and a change, Danny peeked his head into Grace's room. She was asleep in her toddler bed, and Danny crept over to silently watch her. He smiled as her eyes darted back and forth underneath her lids. She clung tightly to her pink stuffed monkey that he had won for her last year at the Weehawken Day Festival.

He knelt down next to her bed and kissed her lightly on the cheek. She stirred and then opened her eyes.

"Hi, daddy. I slept."

"I see that!" he said as he scooped her out of bed and walked her over to her closet. Setting her down, he found the pink dress that Rachel had bought last week just for today's party.

"Ready to put on your birthday dress?"

"Yes!" Grace shouted, bouncing up and down.

Danny helped her take off her play clothes and pulled the dress on over her head, all while Grace chatted happily about what she had done that day, and the dream she had during nap time, and all the presents she hoped she was getting today. Once she was dressed she stepped away from him and twirled in a small circle.

"I'm pretty!" she declared and Danny laughed.

"Yes you are!"

"It's my birfday."

"Yes it is. How old are you today, Grace?"

"Free!"

Danny smiled and helped her hold up three of her fingers.

"You are getting so big," he said, shaking his head slightly.

"Daniel, Matty is here!" Rachel called from down the hall.

"Be right there!" he called back.

"Danno."

Danny looked at his daughter, raising his eyebrows.

"What did you say, honey?"

"Danno!"

Danny smiled as he picked Grace back up and they stood together.

"No, honey, it's Daniel. Dan-iel."

"Dannnno."

"Oh, close enough, monkey," Danny shrugged as he carried Grace out of her bedroom and down the hallway.

"I'm not monkey, I'm Gracie!"

Danny stopped to laugh and hugged her tight.

"Ok, Gracie, I'll make a deal with you," he said in a conspiratorial whisper. "I'll let you call me Danno if I can call you Monkey. Deal?"

Grace smiled.

"Deal!"


	5. E is for Elmo

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>E is for Elmo<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - -********

Danny stared down his opponent. His eyes never wavered as he took in the features of the one individual he loathed above all others. He gazed into the unblinking eyes. He hissed at the never-ending smirk. He balked at the red coat. He never considered himself a vengeful person. But whenever he and his nemesis came into contact, Danny couldn't help but twinge with hatred. And this time was no different as he felt his blood pressure rise and the pounding of his heart.

His mind wandered briefly to a conversation he'd overheard recently at the precinct. A few of the detectives were standing around the coffee machine, debating on whether or not someone could commit a perfect crime. A few of the guys argued that any unsolved crime is perfect. Some argued that any crime that is committed and labeled as a crime couldn't, by definition, be considered as perfect. And a few others simply agreed that if a perp was clever enough, they could mastermind a crime that would _unable_ to be solved.

Danny considered the merits of that discussion in his current predicament.

He could do it, he thought. _The perfect crime._ There was no one here to stop him. Who wouldn't take his word for it if his archenemy disappeared and Danny claimed to have never seen the poor fellow? Or if his rival were to become harmed in some way, what evidence could ever possibly surface that would prove it was anything other than an accident? Danny could feign innocence easily enough.

He firmly gripped the tool in his hand, weighing his options. He could rid the world of this character; he wasn't ashamed to admit that the thought had crossed his mind on more than one occasion. But Danny understood that if he took him down, another would just pop up in his place. That was just the way of things.

Sighing, he shifted the screwdriver in his hand, and went to work.

The batteries on Grace's beloved Tickle Me Elmo were dead – _again_ – and it was Danny's job to get him back in working order as soon as possible. Little did he know how many AA batteries this little sucker would eat up in a week. He would have bought stock in Duracell had he realized how much money he'd be forking over on a monthly basis. He carefully unscrewed the casing that housed the six dead batteries, popping each of them out before inserting new ones. Tightening the screw back up, he twisted Elmo around so he was once again staring into its lifeless face.

_The perfect crime_.

There were a number of ways Danny imagined he could dispose of the Sesame Street character quickly and discreetly.

First, a battery malfunction. Corrosion. It was easy to create. Some salt water. Add some sunlight. Instant battery deterioration. No more maniacal laughter from the devilish toy he held in his hands. But, there was always the chance that Rachel would simply ask Danny to clean it up. Which he would. And he'd be back at square one.

Another option would be to throw it out. _Accidentally_ toss it in the trashcan right before the garbage truck makes its way down the street. They'd spend days, maybe even weeks, searching for Elmo, but he'd never turn up. Grace would eventually get over it, and move on to another toy. Danny wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle the tears she would shed over the lost toy, however. If there was one thing Danny couldn't face, it was a crying Grace.

What if Elmo simply refused to laugh when tickled? A cut wire here; a snipped connection there. It wouldn't be that difficult to open the red monster up and mess with the inner workings. Grace would still have her treasured Elmo, and Danny would finally have some peace and quiet.

A mute Elmo.

The smile that crossed his face quickly disappeared as Danny tossed the screwdriver back in his toolbox. As much as he hated this toy above all others, he knew he would never be rid of it. _The perfect crime, _Danny thought as he rolled his eyes. Doing the unthinkable would only hurt Grace. And he could never do anything to upset his daughter.

He walked out of his garage and back into his home where his beautiful two-year-old daughter was waiting with open arms for her favorite toy.

"Emo!" she squealed, hugging him tight before promptly setting him gently on the floor and squeezing his midsection. Elmo began to laugh, but it wasn't until she squeezed him two more times that the toy really got going. His hysterical laughter quickly filled the home and Grace laughed right along with him.

"You fixed him," a voice said behind Danny and he turned to look at his wife.

"I did," he replied, shaking his head slightly.

"You're her hero again," Rachel stated happily, looking past Danny and down to their daughter. "It's almost time to go. Can you wrap the gift?"

"Sure, babe."

Danny gave his wife a swift kiss on the cheek before heading to the table where his sister's baby shower gift sat, unwrapped. An evil smirk crossed his face before he grabbed the wrapping paper and went to work. One year ago, his little sister had gotten Grace a gift. And not just any gift. But her _favorite_ gift of all time. And now it was time to return the favor.

"Daniel, are you sure that you want to get that for your sister?" Rachel asked from over his shoulder, eyeing his wrapping job cautiously. "The baby isn't even born yet. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl."

"That's the joy of Elmo, sweetheart," he responded happily. "It's universal. He can be _enjoyed_ by everyone."

"Well, alright, if you say so. Grace certainly enjoys it."

Danny nodded as he put the final piece of tape on the gift and set it on the table.

"She certainly does," Danny agreed through gritted teeth.

"Let's go. We'll be late for the party."

Danny picked up the wrapped gift and followed Rachel and Grace out to their garage. He couldn't wait to see his little sister open the gift for her unborn child. When she had bought a Tickle Me Elmo for Grace's first birthday, she had thought it the most wonderful gift imaginable. Little did she know the nightmare she brought to the Williams' household… well, to Danny, anyhow.

Even though it was a long time waiting, payback was coming. And Danny couldn't think of a more perfect crime than this.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know I can't be the only parent who has experienced similar feelings over one of their children's favorite toys. :)


	6. F is for Flipped

********A/N:******** I wanted to throw in a quick disclaimer that this story is incredibly A/U. And while the plot itself is in no way original, I still hope you enjoy it!********  
><strong>******

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>F is for Flipped<br>**- - - - - - - - - - - -**********

A small moan escaped Danny's lips as he opened his eyes, squinting against the bright sunshine pouring in through the window. He clamped his eyes back shut and rolled his head away from the morning glare. Refusing to believe it was time to get out of bed, he grabbed another pillow and smashed it against his face, attempting to bury the headache he could already feel building.

He knew he shouldn't have gone out last night with Kono and her friends. He wasn't twenty-one any more, for crying out loud. But Kono had gotten Steve involved, and once the SEAL got a mission in his mind, there was no stopping him. And bringing Danny out for a night on the town quickly became his top priority.

There had been too many drinks.

And possibly dancing.

Danny sighed and tossed the pillow across the room, wincing when he heard it crash into something on the floor. Sitting up, he rubbed his face with his hands, surprised when he didn't feel his normal morning stubble. Shaking his head, he finally took the time to look around at his surroundings.

He wasn't in his apartment.

He was in Steve's house.

In Steve's bedroom.

Not only that, but he was in Steve's bed.

He jumped out of the bed like it was on fire. What the hell did he have to drink last night? Not once before in his life had he ever woken up in a place he shouldn't have been and not remembered how he got there. Fruity mixed drinks combined with a young rookie, her friends, and a crazed partner bent on getting "the haole" to like Hawaii equaled a quite distressed and highly confused Danny.

Taking a calming breath, he slowly opened the door to Steve's room and peeked out into the hallway. Seeing that it was deserted, he quietly exited the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He snuck a quick glance into the spare bedroom, but there were no signs that anyone had slept in there the previous night. He tiptoed down the stairs, but Steve wasn't asleep on the couch either. The house appeared to be empty.

"Steve?"

The sound that came out of his mouth startled him. His voice was way off, even for early morning standards. He cleared his throat, coughed a few times, and tried again.

"Steve?"

Something was not right. Several things, if Danny was keeping track, which he was. First, his partner had chosen this very moment to be MIA. Second, Danny felt… weird. Clearly whatever he had to drink last night, he had consumed way too much of, as it was now effecting his voice, his memory, and God knew what else. He needed coffee. Now.

Steve had apparently decided that a night spent drinking was not going to interrupt his morning routine and he had cleared out, probably running a marathon or swimming to Maui. The least he could have done was woken up Danny before he left to explain just why the hell Danny had stayed here overnight and not in his own, albeit uncomfortable, bed. Or he could have made some coffee. But Danny found the kitchen to be spotless, and he poked around until he found a mug and a single bag of instant-brew coffee.

As he turned on the faucet and waited for the water to heat, he stared out the window into Steve's backyard. Something definitely felt off. He couldn't explain it, but this situation was just way too far outside of his comfort zone. Putting his hands on his waist, something clicked inside his head and he slowly looked down. His jaw dropped.

Whose shirt was this? And no… was he… was he wearing Steve's pajama pants? The length seemed a little off… they actually seemed to fit quite nicely.

He slammed off the faucet and whipped around.

"STEVEN!"

Was this some kind of joke? What the hell was going on? Not only was he in Steve's house, but he had woke in Steve's bed _and_was wearing his pajamas? No, no… this could not be happening.

Various scenarios popped into his head. He was drugged at the bar last night. He passed out and Steve thought it would be hilarious to undress him and put him in his own pajamas. There were so many things wrong with this situation, he couldn't even begin to name them all. And conveniently, Steve was nowhere to be found.

This was just perfect.

Before he was able to contemplate the utter _wrongness_ of his predicament further, he heard the front door of Steve's home fly open and someone walk through.

"It's about time!" Danny yelled out as he stomped toward the door, setting his empty coffee mug on the counter. "You have some serious explaining to do!"

When he entered the living room, the sight that greeted him stopped him dead in his tracks. Had he been a lesser man, he may have passed out… fainted right there on the spot. And he would have been okay with that. After all, no one could blame him for that type of reaction, considering the circumstances. But Danny Williams was not weak. No, he prided himself on that simple fact. Years of experience as a homicide detective had given him a strong constitution. A cop never knew what types of gruesome things one may come across, and Danny had seen his fair share of scenes that could cause grown men to break.

However, nothing could prepare him for the sight before his eyes. Nope, not one single scenario he had imagined just a few short minutes ago came even remotely close to what his brain was trying to process right now. He wasn't happy with himself for how he reacted next, but he would later forgive himself.

He yelped and ran back into the kitchen.

"Danny, wait! WAIT!"

Danny didn't wait. He couldn't. He refused to believe his own eyes. He didn't allow his mind to accept the sight that was before him… the sight that was now following him through the kitchen. He told himself it was a dream. This was all a terrible, alcohol-induced dream that he would wake up from any moment.

In his own apartment.

In his own pullout bed.

In his own pajamas.

But wishes weren't horses and he was totally screwed.

He skirted away as best he could but eventually backed himself into a corner of Steve's kitchen. He screwed his eyes shut as tightly as possible, but it couldn't block out the image that he already had burned into his skull. He balled his hands into fists at his side and then brought them up to his eyes as well.

"Danny?"

"No," he replied, dropping his hands and shaking his head. "Nope, no. No."

"I know. I had the same reaction. But look, it's going to be okay. Okay?"

Danny couldn't find the words, so he just shook his head again, keeping his eyes clamped shut.

"Danny. DANNY! Cut it out. Open your eyes."

Danny's whole body was shaking, but he did as he was told. He opened his eyes and his breath hitched immediately.

"Steve?" he asked shakily.

The man standing before him nodded.

"What… how… what….?" Danny couldn't form a complete sentence as he finally began to accept what he was seeing.

Standing before him was not Steve, but yet… he knew it was Steve. Just as much as he knew he was Danny. But then Danny knew he _wasn't_ Danny. Suddenly all of the pieces began to fall into place, only the puzzle was backwards. Backwards and upside down.

Danny was looking at _himself_. Staring back at him with wide eyes were _his_ eyes. _His_ face. He recognized his pajamas; his morning stubble; all of his normal features looking right back at him.

"Nope," Danny said again, shutting his eyes. "This is a dream. A bad, bad, BAD dream."

"Danny, stop it," the man claiming to be Steve, but who looked like Danny, said, tugging on his arm. "Didn't you look in the mirror this morning?"

Danny wanted to refuse, but he was still too shaken to do much of anything. He felt himself being guided out of the kitchen and back up the stairs. He peeked out from under his eyelids to see that he was headed toward the bathroom. Once inside, the light was flicked on and he was forcibly turned around so he was facing the mirror.

He desperately wanted to look away, but his gaze was fixated on the reflection staring back at him. He wasn't Danny. But, he _was_ Danny! No, he could not accept what he was looking at.

His knees finally buckled and he sagged, leaning heavily against the person next to him. He was gently lowered down and he looked at the man now seated across from him on the cold tile of Steve's bathroom floor.

"Steve?" he asked again, still unbelieving.

"Yes," he replied.

"What… what the hell happened?"

Danny watched in awe as his twin shrugged and then smiled slightly.

"I don't know, but… I'm you. Which means - "

"Don't say it," Danny said, but the voice was not his own, and he understood. It wasn't his voice. It was _Steve's_.

But Steve ignored him and finished his thought.

"You are me."

* * *

><p>Kono stifled another yawn as she sat in her office at Five-0 headquarters. She was still recuperating from last night's outing, and she would much rather be back at home, in bed, than at work on a Saturday morning. But an interesting phone call from Danny an hour ago had roused her from her sleep, and here she was… waiting for him and Steve to show up.<p>

It wasn't like Danny to call her in on a Saturday morning. She knew he didn't have Grace this weekend, but he was never one to give up his days off willingly. Usually it was Steve who called them together if there was a case to work on or some paperwork that needed to be finished. So if Danny had called, it must have been for something important. She just wished he would hurry up and get here so they could get to work and then get back home.

Eventually the doors to the office flew open and in strolled Danny and Steve. She exited her office and met them at the console in the main room.

"What have we got?" she asked, fully anticipating a debriefing on a new case. What she got, however, was something she'd never expected.

"What we've got is a big problem," Steve said, arms flailing out and around, drawing an imaginary circle encompassing all of them. "A big, HUGE, problem."

"Okay…" Kono threw a confused look at Danny, who was standing next to his partner with his arms crossed.

"Calm down, okay? Let's just find out…"

"Calm… Calm down?" Steve's arms flew up in the air before he paced in a small circle. Finally he stopped, only to thrust out a finger in Danny's direction. "This is your fault."

"How is this my fault? We don't even know what happened last night!"

"Guys!" Kono yelled and the two men turned to look at her. A calm Danny? A ranting Steve? This was all a bit much to handle. "Why don't you just tell me what's going on?"

Steve huffed and threw another glare towards Danny but remained mute. Danny just stood there with a look of confusion mixed with… something. Humor?

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Steve asked finally.

"What?"

"You think this is funny?"

"No!" Danny yelled back, his arms finally uncrossing to hang at his sides.

"You sick, twisted..."

"Steve!" Kono shouted, trying to reign him back in.

"I'm not Steve!"

Kono's mouth dropped as she looked at Steve, then over to Danny, and then back to Steve again.

"I'm sorry… but, what?"

"I'm. Not. STEVE," Steve ground out through gritted teeth before he resumed his pacing.

"Kono," Danny said calmly, taking a few steps toward her. "Can you tell me what happened last night?"

"What?" Kono asked, now more confused than ever. Were Danny and Steve still hung-over? She didn't think they had had _that_ much to drink. Danny just waited, so she continued, fumbling over her words a little as she tried to process what was going on. "Nothing happened. We went out… we had drinks… that was it. What's going on, Danny? Is Steve okay?"

Danny glanced over his shoulder at Steve before turning back to Kono, his voice low and quiet.

"Well, Kono… that's just the thing. I'm… he's…" Danny sighed. "No, he's not okay. Neither of us is okay." Steve snorted from the other side of the console, but said nothing further. "Look, we're having a hard time filling in some gaps. Was there anything… out of the ordinary that happened? Anything at all?"

Kono shrugged.

"I really can't think of anything. We had dinner. Some drinks. We danced. Auntie Mia stopped in for a bit, which was different, I guess, but that's it. Then we left."

"Who is Auntie Mia?"

"She's a local celebrity. She touts herself as a prophet. A seer. She does palm readings, tarot cards, things like that."

Kono sensed the immediate change in mood from Danny, but she couldn't figure out why. Steve had stopped pacing in his small circle and in front of her, Danny's body went rigid.

"Okay, did this Auntie Mia talk to us? To Danny and me?"

"You mean Steve and you?"

"Yeah, sure," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes," Kono said slowly. "She came over and sat with all of us."

"And?" Steve asked impatiently from across the room.

"And… nothing! Steve asked for her to 'impress him' with her skills, and she did a little chant thing, and nothing happened, and we just continued on with our evening!"

"And how can we find this Auntie Mia?"

"She left her business card," Kono said. "I can find it… Danny, really, what's going on?"

Danny looked over at Steve who was bouncing on his heels.

"I'll explain later. Right now Danny, er… Steve, and I need to contact Auntie Mia. Right now."

* * *

><p>To an outsider, watching the two members of the elite Five-0 taskforce riding together in a silver Camaro was completely normal. Even those who knew them best wouldn't balk at the fact that Danny was actually driving his own car for a change. But only the two men riding in the car knew any different.<p>

Steve sat behind the wheel, the two partners driving in relative silence. They were on their way back to the McGarrett home after a long and trying day. They had just had another "session" with Auntie Mia. She had not seemed surprised about what had transpired between Steve and Danny, simply pointing out that it was her intention that the two partners grow in understanding of one another through magical means and other mystical jargon crap that Steve, for the most part, ignored. What mattered most is that she promised that by the morning, they would be returned to normal, and while Steve had never been one to believe in these types of supernatural happenings, he had to believe her.

Because, if he didn't, he was forced to face the harsh reality that he would be stuck in another man's body forever.

Steve had been more than disoriented when he had woken up this morning in Danny's pull-out bed. But nothing could have prepared him for when he walked into the bathroom and saw his reflection in the mirror. He was no longer the tall, muscular SEAL, but the much shorter, toughened New Jersey detective. His extensive training had allowed him to quell the panic that had surged within him, allowing himself to drive calmly, but quickly, over to his own place where he expected to find Danny.

He stole a glance over to his partner now, who was seated beside him. The strange sensation of looking at himself had not diminished throughout the day. It was interesting, to say the least, to hear his own voice coming out of his own body, but to know it was Danny actually the one saying them. And though he and Danny had agreed to keep this little… mix-up… a secret, he could tell that Kono was somewhat baffled to see a ranting Commander today.

Steve wondered how his partner was really dealing with today's escapades. Though Danny had said quite a bit about how he felt about the entire situation, Steve sometimes caught him silently looking out a window, or sitting thoughtfully in a chair.

For Steve, the entire ordeal had been quite the learning experience. For one thing, he promised himself that he would no longer give Danny a hard time about his bum knee. How his partner managed to chase suspects in this kind of pain was beyond him. He had to hand it to Auntie Mia… this experience really _had_ changed his perception of Danny.

"Stop it." His own voice growled at him from the passenger seat.

"What?"

"Stop looking at me. You're ogling yourself, you know, and it's just wrong."

Steve shrugged.

"I was just wondering if it was hard for you today, not being able to wear a tie."

Danny huffed in response, but failed to rise to Steve's bait. Silence fell between them once again and moments later they were at Steve's home, stepping out of the car and walking inside. They had decided to both stay here for the night, just in case this didn't work and they could tackle the problem again in the morning.

Danny settled himself into the spare bedroom and Steve plopped down in his bed. He lay awake for several hours, his mind racing and refusing to settle, before sleep finally claimed him.

* * *

><p>Danny tossed and turned all night, but eventually roused to the bright sunshine pouring in through the bedroom window. Clamping his eyes shut, he rolled over, yanking the bed covers over his head. He didn't even want to know what time it was. He assumed it was early, since Steve had some ridiculous internal clock that woke him at ungodly hours of the morning. And if he was going to be stuck in Steve's body for the rest of his life, it was something he was going to have to get used to.<p>

There was a knock at the door and Danny sighed, flinging the covers off of him and stomping over the door. He was nearly there when the door whipped open, nearly toppling him over.

"Jesus, Steve, a little courtesy would be nice!"

He regained his balance and looked up at his partner, who was grinning like a goof in the doorway, his arms spread out wide.

"What, you want a hug?"

Steve rolled his eyes.

"Danny…" he said slowly, motioning to himself and then again over to Danny.

Realization finally sank in through Danny's morning fog and he took in his surroundings.

He wasn't in the spare bedroom that he had fallen asleep in last night.

He was in Steve's bedroom.

And he wasn't looking at _himself_ standing in front of him.

It was Steve.

Which meant…

"Oh thank God!" Danny nearly shouted with relief. "It worked!"

"It worked," Steve confirmed, the grin never leaving his face.

Danny fiercely rubbed his face with his hands before letting out a long sigh.

"I'm outta here," Danny said, quickly turning in a small circle to locate his clothes. "Where are my clothes?"

"You've been wearing mine all along, Danny," Steve explained.

"Don't remind me. Seriously, those cargo pants of yours? Oy."

"What about them?"

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Nothing. You just go on believing they are comfortable and fashionable, alright?"

Now it was Steve's turn to roll his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk about what is fashionable, Danny. I'll bring you what I wore of yours yesterday."

Steve walked out of the room for a few moments, returning with a pair of Danny's jeans and a shirt.

"What's the rush? Don't you want some breakfast or something?"

Danny shook his head as he pulled the shirt and pushed Steve out of the door so he could get dressed.

"No. I've had quite enough of _you_ to last me a lifetime," he shouted through the closed door. "I am going home, taking a long, hot shower, and forgetting this ever happened."

He finished pulling on his jeans before whipping the door back open and pointing into Steve's chest with a single finger.

"And you will too. This _never_ happened. Got it?"

Steve smirked, but nodded.

"Got it, Danno."

Danny huffed and stormed past Steve, ready to put this painful ordeal behind him. He was halfway down the stairs before he stopped, turned around and walked briskly into the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked, carefully peeking around the doorframe.

"Just making sure," Danny replied, relieved to see his own reflection staring back at him in the mirror.

"Let me ask you something," Steve said. "Auntie Mia said she did this so we would, you know, learn something about each other."

"Yeah, so?" Danny asked, still looking at his reflection.

"So… did you learn anything about me?"

Danny furrowed his brows and turned to look at his partner, completely prepared to give him a full rant. But the look on Steve's face stopped him. He looked truly curious, and a little apprehensive.

"Well," Danny began carefully, "I learned that your cargo pants are uncomfortable. I learned that being tall isn't all that it is cracked up to be. I learned how to shower with my eyes closed."

Steve snorted and waved a dismissive hand at Danny, clearly unhappy with his reply, and turned away from the bathroom door to stalk down the hallway.

"But I also learned," Danny raised his voice to stop his partner, stepping out into the hallway after him, "that you have some old wounds I never knew about. Did you know your shoulder cracks when you move it like this?"

Danny rotated his arm outward to illustrate his point.

"How'd that happen, anyway?"

Steve smirked.

"That's classified."

"Of course it is."

There was an awkward silence for a moment as the two partners stood in the small hallway.

"While I am certain that by now you have discovered that with a body like mine," Danny motioned downward at himself, "I do not have the ability to run a marathon to chase down a suspect. You, on the other hand, really _do_ have Super SEAL stamina, and I had to fight on an hourly basis the overwhelming urge to do some push ups."

Steve grinned.

"We make an interesting team."

Danny nodded.

"Thanks, Danny."

"You're welcome. I'm out of here. See you on Monday."

He gave a small wave before turning around and heading back down the hall.

"Oh, and I found out that your body does not agree with coco puffs," he said over his shoulder as he jogged down the stairs.

"DANNY!" was Steve's angry reply.

Danny grinned. Maybe something good came out of this experience after all.


	7. G is for Grace

********A/N:******** Big warning for this story:** It mentions the death of a major character**, and for that, I apologize. But this story nagged at me for ages before I finally had to write it.********  
><strong>******

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>G is for Grace<br>**- - - - - - - - - - **********

Steve silently closed the door and took a deep, calming breath. He closed his eyes and leaned forward, letting his head rest against the cool wood of the door. The migraine he had been suffering through for the past few days had finally reduced to a dull throb. He contemplated heading back out and to the bathroom for some ibuprofen, but that would mean leaving the solitude of his room, and he just wasn't up for it at the moment.

Laughter floated up and through the door from the lower level of his house, and he wondered what story was being told now. So many had already been shared today. While Steve knew most of them, it was the ones shared by those who had journeyed farthest that he enjoyed the most. Danny's parents had made the trip, of course, along with his two sisters. Several of his old colleagues from New Jersey also flew in for the funeral, and the stories they shared about Danny could curdle milk. Steve was thankful for these glimpses into his partner's life before he had arrived on the island, but sad that he hadn't been able to hear them from the Jersey native himself.

The funeral had managed to be simple, even with all of the traditions and customs honoring a fallen officer. Steve was certain Danny would have griped about all of the flowers and leis. At least Steve had made sure there was no pineapple being served today in his home. He was having second thoughts about hosting this gathering at his place. He originally thought it was the only logical place to have it. Danny wouldn't have wanted it at Rachel and Stan's home, and Danny's apartment hadn't been large enough to hold him, let alone fifty family members, friends and colleagues. But after an hour of greeting people, shaking hands, and sharing stories, Steve was exhausted. He had finally decided to take refuge in his bedroom, relishing the silence it offered him.

He slowly walked into the room, unbuttoning his dress uniform jacket and tossing it carefully on the bed before plopping down beside it. He dug his hands into his eyes and rubbed them with such intensity that they stung. He finally let his hands drop to his lap and he hung his head down, his chin resting against his chest.

"Dammit, Danny," he whispered to himself, allowing himself one small moment of grief.

He reached up and rubbed his shoulder absently, feeling for the scar that would forever remind him of his partner... of the bust that had gone horribly wrong, claiming his friend's life. His shoulder throbbed, but he did nothing to ease its pain, not wanting to let go of something that tied him to that disastrous event. He couldn't forget the pain of the bullet hitting his body.

He didn't want to.

Steve could hear Danny's rant in his mind clear as day, as though his partner were sitting here next to him. He'd rant about the Intel being wrong. He'd rant about Steve forgetting to put on his Kevlar vest before chasing after the armed suspect. But most of all, he'd rant about Steve not taking care of himself and for being sentimental over something as ridiculous as a scar.

_I don't have a sentimental side, okay?_

Steve smiled at the memory.

"Yeah you did," he said aloud. "You just didn't want to admit it."

Steve dropped his hand from his shoulder and sighed, thinking he should probably get back to the throng of people downstairs, yet doing nothing to act on that thought.

"Uncle Steve?"

Grace's small voice startled him and he shifted around to see her standing in the entryway to his room, one hand still on the doorknob. She looked at him questioningly, and he wondered how long she had been standing there.

"Yeah Gracie?"

She looked over her shoulder and then her big brown eyes met his.

"Can I come in?"

The innocence in her voice and the sweetness of her tone melted Steve's heart. And though he craved seclusion, there was no way in hell he could say no to Danny's daughter. He waved her in with a small smile, and she walked in with some trepidation, closing the door behind her. She wore a pale yellow dress adorned with bright pink flowers, and her hair was done up in her usual pigtails. Steve was taken aback by how young she suddenly looked. Too young to have to go through something as tragic as losing a parent.

She reached the edge of the bed, still not taking her eyes off of Steve. He felt as though she was sizing him up, and he held her gaze as best he could without losing his composure completely.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked.

"Oh, um, nobody, sweetheart. Just talking to myself."

Her eyes never left his face as she contemplated his answer for a moment.

"Were you talking to Danno?"

Steve smiled. So she had been standing there for a while after all.

"Yes, Grace, I was talking to your dad," he confessed.

She nodded slightly and then bit her lip in such a way that was so like her father, Steve's chest began to ache.

"That's okay," she finally said. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I talk to Danno a lot too."

Her voice cracked ever so slightly, and Steve resisted the urge to reach out and pull her into a giant hug. Over the past few days, Grace had kept her distance from Steve, even though they had spent a relatively large amount of time together. Rachel had always been there too, of course, and Grace had clung to her mother like a life preserver. And while Steve and Grace had always gotten along and had grown quite close over the past year, Danny's death had changed something.

Not just something… _everything_.

Instead of acting on his impulse, Steve waited and watched as Grace stood at the other side of the bed, her gaze finally dropping from his face to look down at his coat. She reached out, but then pulled her hand back suddenly, her eyes flashing again back up to his. He smiled at her and nodded, and she looked back down at the coat, her fingers reaching out and lightly touching each of the ribbons and medals.

"This one is pretty," she stated as her index finger brushed over the gold insignia near the top of his awards.

"That's my SEAL Trident," he explained. "I call it my 'Budweiser.'"

"Budweiser?" Grace asked, scrunching up her nose at the odd name.

"Yup. All SEALS get it when they pass training."

Grace outlined the gold medal with her finger, touching first the eagle's wings and then making her way down to the trident clutched within the eagle's talons.

"How long did it take you to get one?"

"Six months. That's how long training lasts."

Grace inched a little closer to Steve as she moved her hand and eyes down his coat, passing over several of the ribbons and medals, finally landing on top of a gold badge toward the bottom.

"That's a Naval Parachutist badge," Steve prompted.

"Is that for jumping out of airplanes?" Grace asked.

"That's right."

"Daddy says that's dangerous."

Steve smiled. Of course Danny would not only think that, but feel it wise to pass that piece of wisdom on to his daughter.

"Well, he was right," he agreed, wincing at the ease of which he used the past tense. "But I've done it lots of times."

Grace took another step closer toward Steve, but kept her eyes downward. She played with the buttons for a moment before eyeing the ribbons once again.

"What about this one?"

Steve scooted over a little closer to take a look at what she was pointing at.

"That is called a Sea Service Ribbon. I received that because I was stationed overseas."

"Why are there four stars on it?"

"Well, the four bronze stars show that I spent a lot of time away from home."

She nodded and silence fell between them. Steve regarded Grace and her curiosity about his awards. He looked down at his coat. It had been awhile since he had acknowledged all of the recognition he had received over the years for his service with the Navy. He had never bragged or boasted about them, but he was very proud of what he had accomplished. His Marksmen Medals… his Unit Commendations… his Combat Action Ribbon… All of them confirmed a life well lived and a country well served.

What his dress uniform failed to show was the work he had done with Five-0 and all of the good he and his team had accomplished together. There were no medals given to them at the end of a particularly difficult case. There were no ribbons awarded after they put a dangerous criminal behind bars, effectively making the streets safer for the citizens of Hawaii.

Steve's eyes flickered over to his Purple Heart.

Danny was not going to be given an award for the sacrifice he made.

"That's a Purple Heart," Grace stated, interrupting Steve's thoughts. He looked at her and saw that she was eyeing him cautiously. "It means you got hurt."

Steve swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes it does."

"There's a star on it," she continued, looking down at the decoration. "Does that mean you got hurt two times?"

"Yes," Steve managed. "I did."

"How did you get hurt?" Grace asked in a small voice.

Steve blinked. He wasn't expecting that question, and he was unsure how to answer. For one, he couldn't really say much about either of the missions on which he was wounded. Secondly, and more importantly, he didn't want to frighten her. Danny had always been adamant on protecting Grace from the horrors that this world offered. Steve was fumbling around for an answer when Grace spoke again.

"Is it classified?"

Steve couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips.

"You could say that," he said. "How do you know about things that are classified?"

She shrugged.

"Did your dad tell you that?"

She shrugged again.

"Daddy told me you did lots of things in faraway places, but that you couldn't talk about them. He said that it was too bad, really…"

Grace trailed off and continued to fidget with the buttons on his coat.

"Why did he say that?" he prodded gently.

"He said that you were probably the world's biggest hero, but you couldn't tell anyone about it."

Steve smiled sadly. He'd assumed all that Danny did was rant about Steve to anyone who would listen. He actually never imagined him sharing fond stories regarding Steve with his daughter, and that revelation surprised him. Although if he thought about it, it probably shouldn't have.

"He said… he said you were like a superhero," she quietly continued. "And that…. and that you could do anything."

Grace's breathing began to get heavy and she angrily wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. Finally she looked back up at Steve.

"But you couldn't…. you didn't…"

Tears began to pour down Grace's cheeks and Steve could take it no longer. He stretched forward and pulled her up and into his lap, hugging her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck with such fierceness that Steve was sure they were going to leave a mark. She sobbed into his shoulder as he rubbed small circles on her back with his hand in a manner he remembered seeing Danny doing on a number of occasions.

"I couldn't save Danno," Steve whispered into her hair. He felt her nod and his heart broke.

Steve wasn't sure how much she knew about what had happened to Danny. He was uncertain of how much Rachel had shared about that fateful day. The truth was, there was nothing Steve could have done for Danny. But Grace was right. He didn't save Danny. He couldn't stop his own tears from falling, and his body shook with mild tremors as his emotions spilled out. The last thing he wanted to do was break down in front of Grace, but the tears and words tumbled out of him before he could stop them.

"Grace, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry…" he rambled on. "I tried… _God_, Grace, I tried so hard, but I couldn't…"

Together they sat in their sorrow; Grace drenching Steve's dress shirt and his own tears streaking down his face and into her hair. How long they stayed like that, Steve wasn't sure. But eventually Steve's tears stopped and Grace's breathing evened out. Neither of them spoke as Grace pulled away from him, jumping down off of his lap and wiping the tears from her face. She sniffled loudly but then stood up straight. She reached out a hand toward Steve and he took it into his and stood. She smiled up at him and something more flashed across her face.

Forgiveness.

Grace didn't blame him for Danny's death. That profound fact made Steve want to break down all over again. But he didn't. He'd had enough public display of sorrow for one day. He'd have time later, when everyone was gone, to think more about his friend and grieve in privacy. For now, he knew what had to be done as Grace tugged his hand lightly and led him away from his bed and toward the door. Steve scooped up his coat with his free hand, stopping to put it back on before re-entering the crowd of people downstairs.

Steve now understood just a small piece of what Danny had meant when he said Grace was his whole life. In just a few short minutes, Grace had been able to unlock something in Steve that he hadn't even known he was holding on to… guilt and anguish over the loss of Danny. With a hug and a watery smile, Grace had somehow made it all a bit more bearable.

Grace. As her name implied, she had willingly offered him kindness, mercy and leniency. All wrapped up in the perfect package of bluntness and compassion she inherited from her father, and the beauty and polished style she learned from her mother. The young girl had managed to console him even as her own heart was breaking.

After his final button had been buttoned, he looked down at Grace and smiled. She smiled in return, and, taking his hand again, steered him out of his bedroom and back to reality.


	8. H is for Huaka'i po

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><strong>H is for Huaka'i po<strong>  
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Chin Ho Kelly was sitting at his desk, finishing up a lengthy report, when the power unexpectedly went out. Blinking rapidly against the sudden darkness, he patiently waited for the back-up generator to kick in, but nothing happened. He sat for a moment, giving his eyes time to adjust to the abrupt change in lighting. Figuring he wasn't going to get much work done now, he slowly stood up and began to maneuver toward the door. The moon outside was enough to illuminate the inner room so he was able to get out of his office without running into something.

A sharp cry from Danny's office deeper inside Five-0 headquarters alerted him that the blonde detective had not been so lucky.

"Son of a…"

Chin opened the door to his office, striding out and into the bullpen of headquarters. He peered towards Danny office, watching through the deep shadows as the mainlander rubbed his knee, leaning slightly against his desk.

"What happened?" came Kono's voice from behind him.

"The power went out."

"No shit, Sherlock," Danny said as he marched out of his office toward the two cousins, slightly favoring his right leg.

"Shouldn't the back-up generator automatically kick on?" Kono asked, raising a single eyebrow.

"Yeah," Steve responded as he joined his team, carrying a small flashlight in his left hand. "That seems to be out too. Let's call it a night. We can finish up our reports tomorrow."

"You mean _we_ can finish up _our_ reports," Danny clarified, motioning to himself, Chin and Kono, "and then _you_ can sign your name to them and take credit."

"Isn't that what I said?"

"You are unbelievable!"

Chin turned to Kono and smiled, the rookie shaking her head in reply. They quietly watched the two partners bicker back and forth as the group began to exit the powerless space. They only went a few paces, however, when Danny suddenly stopped walking, causing Chin to nearly ram into his back.

"What is that sound?"

Everyone paused to listen. At first, Chin couldn't hear anything. But once his ears adjusted to the silence, he could hear it. Low and quiet at first, but slowly gaining speed and volume.

"Maybe it's the generator trying to kick on?" Steve offered, but Chin shook his head. It almost sounded like…

Next to him, Kono gasped and he whipped his head to the right. She was staring, wide-eyed, out toward the back of the office where a bank of windows lined the building. Chin followed her gaze. Outside, a heavy fog had settled in, but that wasn't what had caused Kono alarm. Several lights appeared to be floating outside the windows, eerily muted and translucent against the fog. They were almost ghost-like. They flickered as though they were hanging orbs of fire, pulsating with life.

"What…the…hell?" Chin heard Danny whisper behind him.

"No way," Kono said, taking a few tentative steps toward the windows. "Chin, do you think?"

Chin threw his cousin a questioning look.

"I don't think so. This is way outside of their normal zones. And they don't hover this high off the ground."

"You sure?" she asked, looking again at the windows. "I've heard that they can float."

"That's just your brother talking," Chin replied disapprovingly. "He always trumped them up to be more than they were."

"But the drums?"

Chin nodded his head. There was no mistaking the sound now. The distinctive beat was slow and steady.

"Um, guys?" Danny interrupted.

Chin and Kono turned in unison to see Danny and Steve looking at them, bewildered.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"

Kono glanced sideways at Chin, and nodded, giving him the go-ahead to explain.

"I can't be certain, but the lights… the drumming…" Chin paused momentarily to look over his shoulder again to the lights before continuing. "It's the Huaka'i po."

No one said anything for a moment as Chin's declaration set in.

"I'm sorry, but the what?" Danny inquired.

"The Huaka'i po. It means-"

"Night Marchers," Steve finished and Chin nodded.

"I've heard about them," he continued, staring out the window. "But those are just legends. Myth."

"Depends on who you talk to," Chin admitted. "Many islanders believe in them."

"Is anyone going to bother telling me what it is you are talking about?" Danny snapped, clearly annoyed.

"The Huaka'i po are ghosts of ancient warriors," Chin explained as the four task force members continued to stare out of the windows at the strange glow. "They are believed to be armed spirits, roaming the lands, marching to the beat of a drum. They are recognized easily by the drumming and chanting, but mostly by their burning torches."

"Ghosts?" Danny interjected, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're telling me that-"

"Sshh," Steve shushed Danny, urging Chin to continue.

"The Huaka'i po are usually only spotted on places of the island that were once large battlegrounds. The Nuuanu Pali Lookout… Kualoa Ranch… Kalihi Valley. So it is a bit odd that we are seeing them here, in the city."

"It is said that looking directly at the Night Marchers will bring you misfortune," Kono stated, picking up the story where Chin left off. He knew that she had heard the stories as a child, just as he had. "A procession must never be interrupted. In fact, it is recommended that onlookers lie down on the floor and play dead until the Huaka'i po pass by."

Kono stopped and no one moved as they continued to stare out of the window, the indisputable sound of drums echoing through the large room. They were all transfixed by the sight, and no one dared move another step closer to the window.

"This is a joke, right?" Danny asked, breaking the silence that had fallen among them. "Let's scare the haole with a Halloween ghost story?"

Chin scowled as he turned to look at Danny.

"It's not Halloween, is it?"

"Nearly," Danny responded, uncrossing his arms.

Kono's eyes narrowed and she looked over to Chin.

"Po Akua?" she whispered.

"Was there a new moon this month?" Chin calmly asked no one in particular.

"Do I look like Galileo to you?" Danny countered. "What is Po Akua?"

"The fourteenth night of the new moon," Chin clarified. "A night in which the Huaka'i po march from sunset to sunrise."

"Well that's just great," Danny grumbled. "Does anyone else notice that it is _freezing_ in here right now?"

"I think that's just you, partner," Steve said with a smirk. "Scared?"

"No, Danny's right," Kono said before Danny could defend himself. "It _is_ cold in here."

Chin hadn't originally noticed the change in temperature, but now that Danny pointed it out, it _was_ significantly cooler than it had been before the power had shut off.

"The air conditioning is still on," Steve said, walking over to a vent on the floor, and bending low to wave a hand above it. "It's still cranking out air."

"So let me get this straight," Danny began slowly. "The power is out. The back-up generator isn't working. And yet the air is still going? Let me guess, your ghost pals outside are electricians."

"I've never heard of any incidences like this where their presence disrupts the power."

"Wait a minute," Steve said, holding up a finger. "I've got an idea. I'll be right back."

"Where do you think you're going?" Danny called after him, as Steve, and his flashlight, left the room. Though the light he had provided was small, the room dimmed considerably in its absence, the only light now being offered by the orbs still looming outside of the window.

Suddenly, the power kicked back on, the overhead lighting humming back to life. Chin looked from Kono to Danny, both of whom were smiling happily, relief evident on both of their faces. Shortly after, Steve came strolling back into the room, a smug look on his face.

"It was a blown fuse," he stated. "Our office was the only one affected."

"They're gone!" Kono shouted, pointing to the windows.

The other three focused their attention one final time toward the windows, and sure enough, the lights were gone.

"They must have moved on," Steve stated.

"Oh give me a break," Danny huffed at him. "You aren't buying this crap, are you?"

"Do you have another explanation?"

"Lightning bugs on steroids?" Danny offered, his arms waving about. He must have seen the look Chin threw him, because he continued, "Look, it's just as plausible of an explanation as ghost warriors."

"I've been through something like this before, Danny. Trust me… they aren't lightning bugs."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I've encountered the Huaka'i po before."

An awkward silence fell between them. Chin could tell that Danny was uncomfortable with this revelation. Kono looked on with silent respect… she had heard the story before, numerous times. Many years ago, while on a camping trip with a few of his cousins, he had an interesting experience that he had never been able to truly put into words. His cousins had insisted it was an encounter with the Huaka'i po, and today's experience had been something similar… something Chin was unable to define.

"Let's call it a night, guys," Steve finally said, gently leading Kono out toward the doors, Chin and Danny following close behind.

Danny pulled up again, stopping to look at Chin.

"So when you said that many islanders believe in them…" Danny prompted and Chin nodded.

"I was including myself, yes."

"I'm sorry man, I hope I didn't offend you."

Chin smiled, clapping a hand on the detective's shoulder.

"You didn't."

"Good," Danny smiled in return. "Then tell me, why weren't you the first to lie on the floor and play dead? Isn't that what Kono said we should do when those Night Marchers show up?"

"I didn't think you'd be comfortable with it," Chin explained.

Danny furrowed his brows in confusion.

"I don't follow."

"Well," Chin continued, trying very hard to conceal the grin forming on his lips, "if we were to adhere to strict guidelines with how to hide from the Huaka'i po, we would have to lie down on the floor. Naked."

"Naked?"

"Naked," Chin confirmed, laughing at the look of horror spreading across Danny's face.


	9. I is for Ice, Shave Ice

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of its characters. I also do not own James Bond or any of the quotes, or similar quotes, used in this story from the 007 books or movies.

**A/N:** I just want to thank sockie for the inspiration behind this story. :)

**A/N #2:** This was written before Kamekona went into the shrimp business, so we'll say this is set sometime in season 1.

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><strong>I is for Ice, Shave Ice<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br>**************

"You've got to be kidding me."

Steve momentarily took his eyes off the road to look over at his partner. Danny's face was contorted into a large scowl as he scanned the file in his lap. The report he was reviewing contained information on their prime suspect, an arms dealer by the name of Hugo Ross.

Five-0 had taken over the case yesterday afternoon. A recent shooting had HPD scrambling to find Ross, who had apparently set up shop on the island a few months ago, though he, and his base of operations, had yet to be located. Normally this would fall under HPD's jurisdiction, but Danny had taken a particular interest in the case because the shooting had occurred near Grace's school. Steve knew better than to get in the way of Danny when he had his mind made up, especially when it came to the safety of his daughter.

"What's up?"

Danny flicked the paper he was holding with his free hand, the crisp sheet wrinkling under the pressure.

"This cannot possibly be right," Danny said, pointing to something that Steve couldn't see.

"What?"

"This is a list of some of Ross' associates. And one name… I just… well, look for yourself."

Danny turned the paper around so Steve could see the list of names. He waited until he was at a stoplight, and then took the sheet from Danny, looking at the name his partner was pointing at.

"Anita Bigwon?"

Danny's eyebrows shot up in anticipation, and Steve only shook his head.

"I don't know who that is."

Danny sighed, snatching back the list and putting it back with the rest of the files.

"Of course you don't," he said, exasperated. "You aren't supposed to know who it is. Just listen: A-nita Big-won."

"Danny, seriously, I don't… ohhh," Steve finally understood. He started to laugh.

"It's a Bond girl name, don't you think?"

"Not very clever," Steve decided. "Or subtle."

"Oh please. I think subtlety went out the window with Pussy Galore in Goldfinger."

"I never cared for Goldfinger," Steve mused. Beside him, Danny tensed.

"Never... cared… what? Goldfinger is, by far, the _best_ Bond film."

Steve shook his head.

"From Russia with Love is better."

"Let me tell you why you are wrong," Danny heatedly began as Steve rolled his eyes. "The one-liners are _classic_ in Goldfinger. Not to mention gold-plated women and a decked-out Aston Martin."

"Yeah, but it's too over-the-top," Steve interjected. "Spy life isn't always about saving the world from complete destruction. From Russia with Love is better because it's more low-key and realistic."

"Realistic," Danny deadpanned.

"Yes."

Steve risked a glance over to Danny to see that he was shaking his head slightly, his eyes shut. The conversation was tabled as he pulled the Camaro into the lot and turned off the ignition. They climbed out of the car and headed over to their destination: Kamekona's Shave Ice stand. The overcast sky and lower temps meant it was a slower day, and they found Kamekona looking rather bored behind his service counter.

"Howzit, bruddah?" he asked Steve as he approached the window.

"Hey, Kamekona. Mind if we…?" Steve asked, indicating the side entrance.

"C'mon in."

Steve led Danny around the side of the building to a door propped open by a slowly-melting bag of ice. The two men from Five-0 filed in to the small storage room, Kamekona joining them a moment later.

"What can I do for ya?"

"We'd like to ask you some questions. First, do you know this guy?" Danny asked, holding out a picture of the arms dealer.

"Not socially," Kamekona replied, looking briefly at the photo before his eyes quickly flickered away. "His name is Ross. He kills people."

"Yes he does. We think he killed quite a few people yesterday, in fact. Word on the street is that he's looking for someone to fence his weapons," Danny continued, putting the photo into his back pocket. "Someone he's _familiar_ with, if you know what I mean."

"I'm in the Shave Ice business now, not the fencing business. I'm busy. So if you boys would leave…"

"Yeah, we can see that you're packed," Danny commented, waving his arms around in a big circle to illustrate the utter lack of customers. "And don't play dumb with us, big guy. We know you used to be in cahoots with this…"

"Look," Steve cut in, "we just want to know if he's contacted you or not."

Kamekona looked uncomfortable in the small space, but stood his ground.

"I haven't seen Ross in years, brah."

"Okay. Well, we'd like him to."

"To what?"

"To contact you," Steve clarified. "Well, actually, we'd like you to contact him."

"I told you, I'm outta the-"

"Fencing business, yes, we know," Danny finished. "But maybe Ross doesn't know that. And maybe you can get him to meet you here so we can have a little chat with him."

Kamekona looked apprehensive, but after a few more minutes of convincing, he was in touch with some of his contacts and Hugo Ross was on his way to the Shave Ice stand. Their instincts had been correct – Ross was thrilled to hear from Kamekona, and was eager to meet with one of his older business associates. Steve called Chin and Kono, and they were setting up a perimeter, while he and Danny waited inside the stand for Ross to arrive. Three hours later, a black sedan pulled into the nearly empty lot, and Ross, with several of his associates, exited the vehicle. Kamekona stood at his service window while Danny and Steve flanked his sides, crouched down behind two large freezers.

"Big Kahuna, it is good to see you again!" Ross exclaimed as he came to a stop several feet away from the window.

"_Big Kahuna?_" Danny silently mouthed to Steve in surprise, and Steve shrugged in return.

"Hugo. It's been awhile, bruddah," Kamekona stiffly replied. Steve silently willed the big Hawaiian to loosen up a little, but Kamekona remained tense.

"I was surprised to hear from you," Ross' smooth voice continued.

"Coconut wireless tells me you have some merchandise that needs moving."

"Perhaps. And you think you are just the man to move it for me, Kahuna? After all, we didn't part ways the best of friends, you and I."

Steve tensed up and, judging by the look on Danny's face, his partner could sense it too. Something was off. Though he had no personal experience with Ross, there was something about his voice that screamed danger.

"That's in the past, brah," Kamekona answered.

"I don't think it is. In fact, friends of mine tell me that you've lured me here under false pretenses. They told me not to come, but… well, I wanted to see my old friend one more time. And meet his _new_ friends."

They'd been made. Ross knew they were here. Steve took no time in standing up, training his weapon on the arms dealer who stood, smirking, several feet in front of him, sensing Danny standing on the other side of Kamekona.

"Five-0," Steve announced.

Ross smiled at Steve before turning his attention back to his former associate.

"Kahuna… associating with cops now." It wasn't a question. "I had been hoping my friends were wrong about you."

As if a silent signal had been given, three men who had originally been concealed by trees, cars and a dumpster, stepped out into view and opened fire on the building. The three men inside ducked for cover as bullets embedded into the walls and clanged against the chrome freezers. Steve and Danny popped up to return fire as Kamekona scrambled, as best he could, across the floor toward an icebox near the rear of the room.

"I wasn't prepared for a fire fight!" Danny shouted over the sounds of gunfire. "I've only got one extra clip!"

Steve was in a similar situation. However, with Chin and Kono providing adequate back-up, he had hopes that Ross and his men would go down quickly before they would be forced to conserve their ammunition.

"I got you covered."

Steve turned at Kamekona's revelation to see him reaching into the large icebox, pulling out two semi-automatics and sliding them across the slick floor.

"Guns in the ice box? You're joking!"

"I never joke about my ice, Jersey."

Steve took the extra weapon and turned to exit the building out the side entrance they had originally came through. Using the open door as cover, he leaned out and fired two quick rounds into the assailant closest to him, hitting the man center mass. Retaliatory fire forced him to quickly duck back inside. He rejoined Danny at the customer service window, where he and Kamekona were providing some cover fire for Chin and Kono, who were making their presence known.

Two more shots from Danny, and the last of the men fell to his knees, eventually falling face-first into the grass. Silence filled the air as the gunfire abated. Steve, Danny and Kamekona stepped outside to assess the damage.

"Where's Ross?"

None of the motionless bodies on the ground appeared to be their arms dealer.

"Did he get away?" Danny asked, kneeling next to a downed man to check his pulse.

A single gunshot caused them all to jump, and Steve turned around to see Kamekona, gun in hand, aiming at a lone tree near the edge of his property.

"Uh, I think you missed, Kamekona," Steve remarked.

"Did I?"

Steve moved to peer around Kamekona's huge frame to see Hugo Ross topple over from behind the tree.

"May his death be particularly unpleasant and humiliating."

"Wow," Danny said, "how poetic of you."

"Nice job, Kahuna," Steve said, slapping Kamekona on the arm.

"Nah, bruddah, that name is in the past. Why don't you call me Ice," he said with a large grin. "Shave Ice."


	10. J is for Jersey

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><strong>J is for Jersey<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - -<br>**************

Danny's leg bounced up and down to its own rhythm as he sat alone, anxiously waiting for the announcement that his flight was ready to board. The long banks of chairs were mostly deserted, adding fuel to Steve's argument that no one from Hawaii ever visited New Jersey. Danny had no rebuttal to that particular argument at the time. He was really just looking forward to the nearly-empty plane, hopeful that he wouldn't be seated next to someone who would insist on chatting him up during the almost ten hour flight to Newark.

He wasn't in his usual chatty mood, and would rather not explain why he was leaving _paradise_ for New Jersey. He'd rather not have to share his story to a stranger of why, after spending nearly two years in Hawaii, he was finally going home.

Steve had kindly driven him to the airport, and then found a lame excuse to escort him through the terminal, even going so far to use his _means and immunity card_ to get himself through the security checkpoint. He sat with Danny for thirty minutes, probing him for details about New Jersey, his family, anything to get Danny to perk up. And though Danny appreciated his friend's efforts, he wasn't in the mood to rise to the usual banter they shared, and they spent most of their time together in silence. Eventually, at Danny's insistence that he could walk to the plane on his own two legs, Steve left Danny in peace, wishing him well on his trip home.

_Home_.

Danny was certain that if he added up the minutes he and Steve had debated the finer points of Hawaii versus New Jersey, the total would be astonishing. Danny defended, and would continue to defend, the state of his birth until the day he was laid in the ground. It had been twenty-two months since he had stepped foot in New Jersey, but he could still remember it like the back of his hand.

Steve liked to quip about how scenic Hawaii was. _Look at that rainbow, Danny... Can't beat that view, Danny… New Jersey doesn't have sunsets like these, Danny. _The head of Five-0 could certainly get carried away. And though he would groan and mope and dismiss his friend's apparent mission to get him to fall in love with Hawaii, Danny did secretly accept that Hawaii had a certain charm. But it would never hold a candle to his beloved home.

_Home_.

Danny's one, and only true rebuttal to Steve's nonstop jabber about Hawaii, was that the SEAL had never been to New Jersey. He had never stood at the end of the peninsula in Cape May, watching the beautiful sunset beyond the horizon. The skies would be filled with the sounds of migrating Sandpipers and Terns, squabbling over Bluefish in the bay's waters. Steve had never walked along the boardwalk in Atlantic City, taking in the sounds of music wafting out from the House of Blues, or the smells of elephant ears, or the taste of salt-water taffy. He had never gone fishing or canoeing down the Great Egg Harbor River, taking in the rare beauty of the tea-colored water or the abundant striped bass just begging to be caught.

Steve didn't know Jersey at all. But Danny did. He used to dream about it all the time. The sights. The sounds. The smells. Family. Friends. His dreams were less and less frequent lately, but he would never forget where he came from. He could never forget his home.

_Home_.

He sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his chair, searching the walls for a clock. Surely it had to be nearly time to go. As he scanned the area, a familiar face stepped into his vision. Danny smiled and shook his head slightly as the figure approached and sat in a chair directly across from him.

"How did you get in here?" Danny asked, and his friend grinned.

"I flashed my badge at security."

Danny didn't ask for any more explanation than that, because really… was any more necessary?

"Chin Ho Kelly," Danny began, shaking his head. "McGarrett used the same technique. Who knew immunity and means would come in so handy for the two of you?"

Chin's grin only grew as he settled back against the seat, stretching his legs out in front of him, crossing his feet at the ankles. Danny watched his colleague get comfortable in the plastic chair in front of him and laughed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you off."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," Chin said with a shrug and a slight wave of a hand. "You didn't say when you were coming back to the island, so I thought I'd sit with you until your flight left."

Danny searched his friend's timeless face. Though Chin was older than Danny, he had a way about him that exuberated youthfulness. His calm and patient demeanor was a staple in everything he did, and his experience and logic earned him the respect of everyone he worked with. But behind his quiet behavior, Danny could see something else reflected back to him in the Hawaiian's eyes. Chin's facial expressions were not as frequent as Steve's, and so have gone unnamed by Danny, and this was one he was not used to. It harbored uncertainty and doubt.

"I _am_ coming back, you know."

Chin regarded him for a moment before planting his feet on the floor and sitting up straighter in his seat.

"Some of us aren't so sure," he admitted.

"What?" Danny asked, surprised. "Who?"

"Kono. Me." Chin paused. "Steve."

"Steve left not ten minutes ago. He didn't mention anything."

Chin's eyebrows shot up.

"You really expect him to?"

"No, I suppose not." Danny confessed softly. "Well, have no fear. I will return. I just need to take care of a few things at home first."

_Home_.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That look."

"What look?"

"When you were talking just now. You made a face."

Danny huffed and waved his arms dismissively toward Chin before gesturing toward himself.

"I do not make faces, my friend. You have me confused with our fearless leader."

"If you say so, brah." Chin settled back in his chair once more. "So, do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Danny bit his bottom lip and looked away from Chin's searching stare. He already knew why Danny was heading back to New Jersey… all of Five-0 did. He had received the phone call when the team was at lunch yesterday afternoon. His father had had a stroke. He wasn't going to make it. His mother in tears, begging Danny to come home.

_Come home and say goodbye._

"Ever since Matty…" Danny began suddenly, not sure where this urge to explain himself was coming from. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chin perk up slightly, but he made no other move. "Ever since Matty left, things have been… strained with my parents. My dad was angry I couldn't stop him. My mom was hurt that I couldn't bring him home. Things finally got back to normal, but then Rachel and Grace went back to Jersey, and I stayed here. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, I think."

Danny didn't look at Chin. He couldn't. He still felt ashamed over that episode of his life. He didn't regret it, but he knew he could have handled things differently. And even though the baby wasn't his and Rachel and Grace were once again living with Stan, in his family's eyes, the damage had been done. Danny had chosen work over family. He had chosen Hawaii over New Jersey.

"My family supported me when I came out to Hawaii in the first place," Danny continued, unprompted by Chin. "But when I had the chance to come back to the mainland with Rachel, and didn't, they just didn't understand. They still don't. My mom even told me a few months ago that it isn't too late. She thinks I could still mend things with Rachel and move back to New Jersey."

Danny isn't sure why he's telling all of this to Chin. He hadn't even told Steve most of it. But Chin, with his looks of understanding and support… it was just too damn hard _not_ to confide in the guy.

"I am coming back, Chin," Danny explained again. "I just need to… to _fix_ things first."

Chin managed a small smile and nodded in understanding. Just then, the announcement was made that Danny's flight was boarding. He stood, reaching down to grab his carry-on bag before turning to head toward the gate. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Chin standing right behind him.

"There's something I've wanted to say to you for awhile. When I first learned of Steve's father's murder, and the fact that a haole had been put in charge of the case, I was really upset." Chin put his hand up when Danny started to interrupt, silently asking him to allow him to continue. "I thought there was no way a mainlander could possibly come in and run a decent investigation into a good man's death."

Chin's eyes bore deep into Danny's as he paused a moment and sighed.

"I was wrong about you, Danny. You are a good man and a great detective. Five-0, and Hawaii, is lucky to have you."

For the first time in a long time, Danny was speechless.

"I just wanted you to know that before your trip home."

_Home_.

Danny shook his head.

"I am home, Chin."

The admission even surprised him. But as the words tumbled out of his mouth, he knew them to be true. He kept telling himself he was going home, but every time that word came up, it didn't feel right. New Jersey, simply put, wasn't his home anymore.

Danny almost said something snarky to cover up his sudden proclamation of love for Hawaii, but as he saw the glint in Chin's eyes and the smile that lit up his whole face, he held it back. Instead he held out his hand, and Chin clasped it, shaking it warmly.

"Goodbye, Chin. See you soon."

"Aloha, Danny."

Danny turned and walked to the ticket agent, who smiled and scanned his ticket, wishing him a good flight. As he boarded the plane and found his seat, he sighed and closed his eyes. He already knew he was going back to New Jersey to say goodbye to a part of his life. Maybe it was time to say goodbye to another as well… time to let New Jersey go and fully accept Hawaii as his home.


	11. K is for Knuckleheads

************- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
><strong>K is for Knuckleheads<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br>**************

Danny hated stakeouts. They were tedious. Monotonous. Downright boring. Sure, you could try to liven it up with a carefully selected music mix, or some comfort food. You could even bring along the sports section or a good book. But even the catchiest music and the most gripping novel became mind numbing after a few hours.

On very rare occasions, a stakeout could get interesting. You might get lucky and actually find the person you were looking for or interrupt a crime in progress. You could flush out the dumbest criminal, or capture the craftiest felon. One time, in Jersey, a suspect that Danny and his partner had under surveillance actually ordered takeout and had it sent to the officers' vehicle.

The success of a stakeout really hinged on who you were stuck with in the car. Danny just happened to be seated next to the antsiest person he had ever met. His partner, Steve McGarrett, former SEAL and trigger-happy head of the Five-0 task force, was probably the only other person in the world who hated stakeouts more than Danny did. And that was really saying something.

Steve's leg was bouncing up and down, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel, and Danny had to bite down on the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from shouting at his partner to just _stop it_. He knew this part of police procedure was difficult for Steve to handle, and he had to give him some leeway.

"We should just go in there," Steve said. Again. For the fifth time in an hour. "He's got to be in there. Let's just go in, introduce ourselves, and then…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Danny interrupted, putting his hands up. "_Introduce ourselves?_ What does that even mean? Your idea of introducing yourself is to kick down the door and shoot someone in the face. No, we are going to stay here, in the car, until Wallace shows himself. Then, and only then, my friend, can you _introduce_ yourself. Got it?"

Danny accepted Steve's low growl as agreement and settled back in his seat.

Steve clenched and unclenched his jaw. This was getting them absolutely nowhere. Sitting. Watching. He wasn't used to all of this waiting. In the SEALS, he didn't have to do anything like this. The powers that be did the watching and planning. Steve got his mission. Steve went in and completed the mission. Boom and boom. No waiting. No sitting. No _nothing_.

Steve bit his lower lip. He scratched his ear. He tapped his foot. He watched as a car drove by and turned down the street running parallel to the building they were watching. That was it. He couldn't take this anymore.

He opened the car door, stepping out into the cool night air, sunrise only a few short hours away. Moving to the trunk of the Camaro, he reached in and pulled out a few extra clips, slipping them into the pockets of his pants. He was so focused on moving in on Wallace that he failed to notice Danny standing silently next to him, his arms crossed on his torso.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Danny demanded in a low, harsh whisper.

"I'm going in, Danny. Wallace isn't going to make the mistake of showing himself. We need to force his hand."

"Force his hand? We can't just go in there without back-up!"

"You are beginning to sound like a broken record, you know that?"

Danny huffed, but grabbed his vest out of the trunk anyway. Once they were set, they ran across the street, taking up position on either side of the main entrance. Steve took out his Sig as Danny glanced around to be sure no one was watching them before pulling out his own weapon. Suddenly Steve stepped back, planted a foot in the ground, and kicked the other hard against the door. The evening's silence was pierced with the loud bang of the door bursting open.

"Really?" Danny asked, glaring at his partner. Steve shrugged, then went into the building first. Danny followed close behind. Quickly sweeping through the main room, they ventured deeper into the building, Steve taking lead and Danny two steps behind. They were nearly at the end of the hallway when a door suddenly swung open behind them. Danny swung around to face the new threat, but pain exploded in his head and he instantly fell to the ground. He barely heard the scuffling around him before he blacked out completely.

* * *

><p>The first thing Danny felt when he slowly woke up was that his head hurt. Then he noticed the kink in his neck. And the ache in his tailbone. And the rawness of his throat. Cataloging his injuries only intensified his headache, so he stopped, sighed, and finally opened his eyes.<p>

He was in a small room, lying on a cold, cement floor. There were no windows, and a single low-watt bulb that dangled from the ceiling illuminated the room, casting a soft yellow hue on everything. Craning his head back and to the right, Danny saw a closed door. Without a knob or a handle, he suspected that it could only be opened from the outside. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up to a sitting position.

He rubbed the back of his head, noticing the large lump that had already sprouted from where he was hit. He gingerly rose to his feet, intent on finding out where he was and how to get out. He was about to reach the door when a muffled thudding sound stopped him. He paused, his hand hovering inches away from the wall, when he heard it again, followed by a shout.

"_Tell me who you are!"_

Danny turned and strode over to the opposite side of the room, leaning over and pressing his ear against the rough, filthy surface of the wall. Another dull thud reached his ears followed by another demanding yell.

"_It all stops when you tell me who you are and what the cops know!"_

Danny pulled his head away from the wall when the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh drifted through the thin partition. The pounding continued, and every once in a while, he could hear a soft grunt.

_Steve?_

He wondered if he should call out. Make his presence known to his partner and their captors. Hit after hit reached his ears and he could stand it no longer.

"Hey!" Nothing. "That's enough, alright? That's enough!"

Danny made his way to the sealed door. Sure enough, it didn't swing outward no matter how many times Danny tried to budge it. Unsure if his original shout had captured anyone's attention, he began to kick at the door, shouting some more.

"_I said that's enough!"_

Steve took the moment's reprieve Danny's shout had caused to re-gather his thoughts. Bindings? Still tight. No amount of wiggling or force had loosened the straps digging into his skin. His wrists and ankles were both still securely tied to the wooden chair that was planted firmly in the center of the dimly lit room. He glanced up at his captors. One man - young, skinny, but fit - seemed to be the one calling the shots, though what affiliation he had with Wallace, Steve couldn't say for sure. He stood there in his well-tailored suit, asking the questions and giving the orders to a larger man, who Steve had to thank for the hits to his face and midsection. While he looked intimidating, he really was an idiot.

Both of them, Steve mused. Both of them were amateurs.

For starters, they were rather preoccupied with who he was. Though Steve refused to answer, had they simply checked his back pocket, they would find his wallet, thus locating his ID. Secondly, though they had relieved Steve of his weapon, they had failed to find his pocketknife, still safely stowed in his side pants pocket. All he needed was to buy some time until they either moved him or left him alone.

Danny continued to shout from somewhere within the building, and though Steve was happy to hear that his partner was in apparently good health, he would have preferred that Danny had kept quiet. It wasn't that he didn't feel Danny couldn't handle himself… the New Jersey native was as tough as he was. But in situations like these, it was best to have the suit and his muscle keep their attention on Steve. Divide and conquer was not the optimal tactical approach here.

The suit whispered something, and the big guy exited the room, only to re-enter a few moments later, his fist balled into the back of Danny's dress shirt as he dragged him into Steve's room. They locked eyes for only an instant, but Steve tried to convey as much as possible into that brief moment.

_Don't say anything._ _Let me handle this._

But when Danny instantly began to speak, Steve knew his message didn't get through.

"What a nice place you have here," he said casually, his hands waiving around effortlessly. "Interesting color palette. Who does your decorating?"

The young man in the suit nodded toward his lackey and the man let go of Danny's shirt briefly to land a sharp punch to the gut. Danny wheezed and bent forward, but to his credit, remained standing. Steve wanted to yell at him to _stop talking_, but he remained resolute and silent.

"Really?" Danny questioned, still doubled over.

The suit nodded again, and Danny was forced upright.

"Thank you for joining us, officer. Your partner here refuses to tell us who he is, or what the cops know about my operation here. Maybe you can tell us."

"Your operation?" Danny asked, pointing to the slim man. "Your operation."

Danny was mildly amused by the statement and glanced over to Steve. His partner was a mess. His face was already heavily bruised. Blood oozed from a laceration above his left eye, and his lower lip was cut and swollen. He didn't miss how he was slightly hunched forward or how his breathing was slightly labored. He recognized the look that crossed the SEAL's face immediately: _shut up._ But, see, Danny couldn't do that. While Steve had a warrior mode he could switch into, Danny didn't have that luxury.

"You know, I knew the moment I saw you that you were in charge," Danny stated coolly, his eyes finally leaving Steve's face and moving back over to the young man standing to his right. "We haven't been able to nail Wallace with anything yet, and I'm sure it's because of your hard work."

Steve snorted from the center of the room, but Danny smiled at the proud look that washed over his captor's face.

"But let me tell you where you screwed up. Trying to get Mr. Macho Man here to talk is a waste of your time," he calmly continued, swinging his left arm out to gesture toward his partner. "You should have come to me. As you've probably figured out by now, I'm much chattier."

A low growl from Steve caused Danny to throw his own _shut up_ glare toward him.

"So I'll make a deal with you. I'll tell you who we are and what the cops know. And then you let us go. Easy as that."

Danny could almost hear the gears turning in the young man's head. The kid couldn't be a day over twenty-five, and he shook his head. Criminals were getting younger and younger each year. Not surprisingly, a smug look formed on the kid's face and he nodded toward the larger man, who kindly released his vice-like grip on Danny's shirt.

"Very well. I agree to your terms." _Yeah right,_ Danny thought. "Tell me who you are and what the cops know."

"I am Officer Daniels," Danny began, pointing to himself. "And that is my partner, Officer Stevens."

It was brief, but Danny saw Steve roll his eyes before pasting the menacing look back on his features.

"And as far as the cops are concerned…"

"Shut up, _Daniels_," Steve ordered from his chair. "Don't tell these idiots anything."

"Idiots?" Danny interjected before the muscle-man next to him could do any further damage to his partner. "Clearly you have read these people wrong. They are the ones in charge here, not you. You may enjoy getting beat up, but not me. I'd like to get out of here in one piece, thank you very much."

"You think they are going to let us go after you turn tail and tell them everything?"

Danny shrugged, and turned to eye the two criminals in the room.

"I think they can be trusted."

As if trying to help the situation, the young man in the suit nodded, pulling himself up to his full height. Danny had to bite the inside of his cheek to force himself not to smile.

"Then you are as big of an idiot as they are."

Danny whipped his head around and glared at Steve.

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me."

Danny lunged forward and launched himself at Steve's seated form. Unable to defend himself, Danny was able to bowl right into his chest, effectively knocking the chair over. Steve toppled back, and his head hit the floor with such a loud _thump_ that Danny winced in sympathy. He didn't have time to stop, however, and he leaned over the top of his fallen friend, his back to the two abductors, who stood, stunned, at the front of the room.

"That was for coming in here when I told you to stay in the car!" Danny shouted, landing a hefty kick to the side of the chair. "And this is for being a pain in the ass!" Another fierce kick. Finally, Danny felt a vice-like grip around his forearm, and he was dragged back and away from Steve.

Both the kid in the suit and his muscle man were too busy regarding Danny with stunned expressions to notice Steve pulling himself up and standing in the center of the room. It wasn't until a knife breezed by and imbedded itself into the shoulder of the large man holding Danny did they even move.

Steve sprang forward, wielding a piece of the broken chair like a club. He swung outward, clonking the large man in the back of the head with as much force as he could muster. The man loosened his grip on Danny's arm, and the blonde detective pulled away as he fell to the ground. Steve crouched down, yanking his knife out of the unconscious man's body. He heard another _thud_ and glanced up to see the younger man lying on the ground, stunned by the punch Danny had just landed on his right jaw.

Steve stood, then put an arm out against the wall to steady himself. The sudden adrenaline rush, combined with the beating he'd received earlier, made his vision swim and his breath hitch. Danny was at his side in an instant.

"You okay?" Steve nodded, swallowing heavily against the bile that was threatening to surface. "Of course you are. Sit."

Taking Danny's cue, Steve sank to the floor as Danny searched the pockets of the two unconscious men, finally pulling out a cell phone. A few minutes later, back-up and an ambulance was on the way. Danny huffed out a big sigh and sat down next to his partner on the cold floor.

"How are you? Really?"

"I'm fine. Although I could have done without the tackle to the ground," Steve admitted.

"Well, I had to make it look real, didn't I?" Danny argued.

Steve smiled as he stared at the two motionless bodies on the floor. He hadn't known what Danny's plan had been from the beginning, but once the fake names were given, he knew something was up. Following along had been easy, although he was slightly surprised when his partner had rushed him. After a few well-aimed kicks, the chair had been splintered, and it was easy for Steve to locate his knife and free himself.

"What a bunch of knuckleheads," Danny suddenly mumbled next to him. Steve nodded and smiled, but didn't respond. Because really, what else needed to be said?


	12. L is for Lockdown

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><strong>L is for Lockdown<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br>****************

"Rachel, please," Danny said, gripping the phone so tightly that Kono imagined she could hear the small device crack under the pressure.

They walked side by side at a brisk pace down the crowded hallway, following closely behind Steve and Chin. She tried her best to ignore the one-sided discussion the animated detective was having with his ex-wife, and it was clear to her that Danny also wished he was alone for this particular conversation. But that wasn't going to happen as the four task force members reached the bank of elevators and quickly boarded, making it more difficult for any of them to pretend like they weren't able to hear everything that was being said.

"Don't make me beg," Danny whispered as he hung his head low, bringing his free hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He turned his back on his friends, choosing to face the rear of the elevator in an effort to shield them from his embarrassment over his heart-felt appeal. Kono sighed and shared a sympathetic look with Chin and Steve before forcefully pushing the button for the twelfth floor.

Danny had been planning a trip to New Jersey for months. It was his parent's fiftieth wedding anniversary, and everyone knew how badly he wanted to take Grace back to the mainland for his family's celebration. Though Kono didn't know the particulars of why Rachel had denied the request, she knew that her decision had put Danny in a sour mood for the past week. To his credit, he hadn't given up, and Kono was caught listening to her friend plead his case to his ex-wife once again.

"Rachel? Rach? Did she really just hang up on me?"

"No brah, it's these old elevators," Chin commented. "Reception is horrible inside the cabs."

"Well isn't that just great?" Danny asked sharply from the corner of the elevator. "Not only do I have to – "

Danny was cut off as the elevator's ascent was abruptly halted. The small structure bounced for a moment, then dropped suddenly before jerking to a complete stop. The change in momentum caused Chin to collide with Kono, and she was forced to put a steadying hand against the wall. The interior lighting flickered on and off before ultimately plunging them into complete darkness. A beat passed before back-up lighting kicked in, and the room was engulfed in an eerie red glow.

"What just happened?"

"The elevator stopped," Steve stated.

"Thank you Commander Obvious," Danny retorted. "Kono, push the help button thing."

Kono arched a single eyebrow at Danny's inept description, but did as he requested. Pushing the button did nothing, however, and she proceeded to try the _alarm_ and _open door_ buttons… both yielding the same lack of results. She pulled out her phone to call dispatch or emergency services or really anyone who could help them out of their predicament, before realizing that, like Danny, she had no reception.

"Dammit," she whispered, pocketing her phone and looking up to her companions. "What now?"

Steve wasted no time as he stepped forward and tried to pry the elevator doors open. Getting nowhere fast, Danny stepped up to help and both men attempted to muscle their way out of the cab. The doors didn't budge an inch. Frustrated, Steve pounded on the door, and they were all surprised when someone on the outside pounded back.

"Hey!" Steve shouted through the door. "This is Commander McGarrett from Five-0. My team and I are stuck in here!"

"I hear you, Commander," a muffled voice of man replied. "A fire alarm was pulled on the south side of the building. They are evacuating as a precaution."

"Can you let emergency personnel know that we are in here?"

"Of course!"

"Let me get this straight," Danny began after the conversation through the door had ended, and the man on the other side presumably had left to find some help. "There is a fire in the building and we are stuck in the elevator?"

"In case of a fire, the elevators shut down," Chin explained. "I've seen it happen on dozens of cases. Supposedly, there is an override switch that, when thrown, brings all the lifts down to the main level. Apparently the override isn't working."

Kono could sense Danny's growing dread surrounding the situation. Truth be told, she wasn't happy about it herself. She already could feel her own apprehensiveness rising as the thought of being cooped up for an indefinite period of time overpowered her senses. Apparently Steve noticed the slight change in Danny too, and he put a calming hand on his partner's shoulder.

"Relax Danny," Steve cut in. "An alarm was pulled. It could be a prank or a drill. I doubt the building is actually on fire."

"You don't know this. How can you possibly know this?" Danny demanded. "I do not want to die in a fiery inferno, while stuck in an elevator, with the last conversation I ever had on the phone was me begging my ex-wife to let me take my daughter to New Jersey!"

"That won't be your last conversation. Just, have a seat and calm down, okay?"

Danny sulked, but nodded and sat down on the floor. After a moment, Chin and Kono did the same. Steve, however, did not wish to take his own advice, as he proceeded to climb up toward the top of the elevator, using the handrails inside as footholds.

"Whoa!" Danny shouted from the floor, immediately throwing his hands up in the air. "What are you doing? Would you get down from there?"

"I'm just going to open up the ceiling and see where we're at. Maybe I can climb out and then I can…"

"You can what? Shimmy up the cables and pull us to freedom? Get down before you hurt yourself."

Kono watched as Steve towered over them, reaching up and pushing on the tiles of the ceiling. When that didn't work, he moved over to the outer casing of the elevator lighting, trying to pry that off. Danny continued to huff about Steve's daredevil complex when there was another knock on the door and a stifled shout.

"You guys still in there?"

From the floor, Danny rolled his eyes, but it was Steve who replied.

"Yeah, we're here! Can you get us out?"

"The fire department is here now. I told them you are stuck inside, and they said to just sit tight and not do anything until they arrive. The building is being evacuated, so I gotta run."

"Wait!" Danny shouted, jumping to his feet. "How long? Hey!"

Kono nearly laughed at Steve's disappointed expression as he jumped back down to the floor. He patted Danny on the back, who sighed and sat back down on the floor. Time dragged on as the team waited for the rescue that was taking far too long to come. They passed the time as best they could, discussing their current case for a while, then moving on to some personal things. Kono enjoyed the distraction that her team members provided. She never considered herself to be claustrophobic, but being stuck in the small space, along with three of her team members, left her feeling uneasy and a bit confined. She tried her best to hide how uncomfortable she felt, but it wasn't lost on Chin.

"Hey, you okay cuz?"

There was a lull in conversation, and all eyes turned to Kono. She tried her best to appear bemused by Chin's question, but again he wasn't fooled. He leaned in closer toward her, but that only increased her anxiety.

"Just… just back up, okay?" Kono asked, thankful when her cousin reluctantly eased away from her as best he could.

"Thanks," she said, nodding to Chin as Steve and Danny looked on, a look of concern etched onto both of their faces. "I'm fine, really, it's just… it's silly, really… but when I was little, my brothers used to pick on me. Nothing abusive, just normal sibling stuff. The two of them didn't have anything in common growing up, but the one thing they could agree on was picking on their little sister. I was constantly being ganged up on when I was young… they'd hide under my bed and scare me at night, hide all of my dolls and claim they'd fed them to the dog, convince me to be their wrestling dummy... things like that. The worse thing was when they would pin me down and give me "tickle torture." Oh, I'd laugh at first, but then I would cry, then _scream_ out for help. I just _hated_ being put in that position."

"I remember," Chin said as he nodded sympathetically. "They could be brutal!"

Kono smiled.

"One time, they pushed me into a closet in my parent's bedroom and jimmied the handle so I couldn't get out. It was dark and hot and I was pretty freaked out. It was hours before my parents got home and found me. Ever since, I've just had a… dislike… for small spaces."

"You learned from it, though," Chin stated, proudly. "You picked yourself up each time they knocked you down. And then you fought back."

"That's true," she happily agreed. "I had to learn at an early age that if I didn't fight for myself, I'd be forced into that situation again and again."

"I never had that problem," Danny admitted. "I have an older sister, but she wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone pick on me. Or any of my siblings, for that matter. My problems came from outside of the home. Bullies in the neighborhood or at school… that's where I learned how to stick up for myself."

"Huh."

Danny's eyebrows shot up as he threw a glare over at his partner.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"You made a noise."

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did! And now you have a face."

"Okay, fine, it's just that," Steve paused, and Kono could tell he was trying to find the right words to appease Danny. "You stood up for yourself in the past, but you aren't doing it now. What Kono just told us is a good lesson for you too."

Danny merely stared at his partner for a moment. Finally, when he spoke, it was in a low, deadly whisper.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"Kono's past of dealing with her brothers," Steve quickly explained in a rational voice. "She finally said _enough_ and learned how to fight for herself. You should do that with Rachel."

"What is this, an after-school special?"

"All I'm saying is, you should stand up for yourself with Rachel. Fight for what you want, so you aren't forced into this type of situation again in the future."

"So now you're giving me marital advice?"

Kono didn't feel like sitting through what was rapidly turning into a full-blown confrontation between Steve and Danny, so she quickly tried to divert the attention away from her boss.

"Danny, what did Rachel say to you about the trip?" Kono asked.

Danny deflated slightly at Kono's question, and he dropped his eyes to the floor.

"Rachel says that taking Grace out of school would be a disservice," he stated, his voice easily filling the small space.

"That's not fair," Kono said, shaking her head. She had suspected as much, but it still irked her that Rachel wasn't allowing this trip. Danny didn't get to see his daughter nearly enough, and this trip was something special the two of them could share. The way Danny spoke of his family back home, Kono knew he missed them dearly, and she was sure that Grace did too.

"No, it isn't," Danny agreed. "Apparently Grace missing school for extravagant trips to Maui or for when Rachel's family visits from England are okay, but when _I_ want to take her to see _my_ family, _then_ it's a disservice!"

Kono watched as Steve shifted toward his partner in an attempt to calm him down. Kono couldn't hear the whispered words that were being said, but after a moment, the tension left Danny's shoulders and he lifted his hands in surrender.

"Let's just not talk about it anymore, okay?" Danny requested after a moment, and the subject was quickly dropped.

Chin piped in with stories about growing up as an only child. He and Kono laughed at Danny's comment about how they seemed to have an endless number of cousins on the island, and they spent a great deal of time discussing their family history on Hawaii. Steve was oddly quiet during most of the storytelling, but Kono understood why. It was probably still too hard for him to think about his childhood. She knew that he was still coming to terms with the fact that his mother had been murdered. That coupled with being sent away by his father and having a distant relationship with his sister had made Steve close up when speaking about the past. But he hid it well, or at least, well enough.

The laughter and stories really eased Kono's anxieties about still being stuck in the elevator, and she could tell that Danny's stiffness had eased as well.

That was until the smell of smoke wafted into the lift.

"Okay, I'm becoming rationally concerned that we haven't been let out yet," Danny announced as they all clambered to their feet. Then, turning to Steve, he asked, "Still think this is a drill?"

"Nope," he replied, and this time there were no objections as he lifted himself back up on the handrails. Once again, his attempt to climb up and into the shaft was interrupted as the elevator doors were slowly pried open from the outside revealing the legs of several firemen. Apparently the cab had stopped short of a level, and the floors were not lined up.

"You'll have to climb up a bit and out," one shouted as he leaned down and peered into the cab.

Danny nodded to Kono, who gladly stepped forward first and accepted the fireman's hand. The four teammates easily clambered out of the cab and followed the emergency personnel to the stairs and out into the open air, eventually stopping at a safe distance from the burning building. The team huddled together and watched as dark plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, but it seemed as though the fire department had it well contained.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Chin commented from where they stood.

"Not so bad?" Danny asked incredulously. "So, in your book, this was a _good_ experience? Because here I was thinking that being stuck in an elevator, all while the building is burning down, was a _bad _thing."

"You know," Steve interrupted, his eyes never leaving the scene before him, "being stuck in an elevator during a fire isn't the worst place to be."

"Oh really?" Danny scowled.

"Yeah. The shaft is made of concrete and steel, so until you get overcome by smoke, it's quite safe."

"Until you get overcome by smoke?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, if there was truly a major fire, which this clearly was not, you'd get smoke inhalation."

"And die!" Danny concluded with a flourish of his hands.

"Okay, so maybe being in a confined space isn't the best place to be during a fire," Steve conceded.

"Damn straight," Danny retorted as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Kono asked.

"Rachel," he replied, smiling at her before turning away to get some privacy for his upcoming conversation. "I'm feeling up for a fight."

As Kono watched him walk away, she noticed a look of pride wash over Steve's face.

"What's that look for, boss?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, smiling broadly.

"What did you say to him in the elevator to get him to calm down?" Chin asked, looking as curious as Kono. "This is Danny we're talking about here. He isn't one to take your advice lightly."

"I just told him to stop panicking because I didn't want Kono to start panicking. We were all tense about being cooped up, and his theatrics weren't helping much."

Kono felt a surge of warmth fill her at the thought of her friend putting aside everything to keep her from becoming more rattled in that tight space. Chin was right… Danny rarely took Steve's calming words to heart, but this time he did for her sake. Kono knew that Danny would do anything for his team… he had illustrated that time and time again. But it was in the small moments like these that she really appreciated his friendship.

"Danny is always worrying about everyone else," Kono said, looking across the parking lot to see Danny pacing back and forth, his arms waving fluidly around him. "I wish he'd put himself first once in awhile... stand up to Rachel for what he wants."

After a few moments, Kono saw Danny end his conversation and make his way over back to the group, a huge grin on his face. Steve clapped Kono on the shoulder, squeezing it once lightly.

"I think he just did."

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>AN:************** Real quickly here, I want to thank both Cokie316 and sockie1000 for sharing their real-life elevator stories with me. Who knew how often stuff like this happened? Second, I want to say another big thank you to Cokie for helping me get through major writer's block. :)


	13. M is for Mickey Mouse

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><strong>M is for Mickey Mouse<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br>******************

The sun began to peek above the two towers of the Aulani. The early risers had already donned their suits and sunscreen, looking to begin their day of relaxation in the crystalline waters and winding streams of the vast beachfront resort. It was this handful of tourists staying at Disney's newest resort that now lined the HPD perimeter; standing on tip-toes to get a glimpse of the gruesome crime scene.

Several yards within the perimeter, a lone pool-side cabana hummed with activity. HPD personnel moved in and around the area while crime scene technicians gathered evidence. Two members of the Five-0 task force worked the scene together while waiting for the rest of their team to arrive.

"Isn't there any way we can remove the body? The pool will be opening soon!"

Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly looked up from where he was crouched to glance at the resort manager who had been nervously lingering around the crime scene for the past several minutes. The lanky man was sweating profusely as he stood at the entrance of the poolside cabana, scanning the area wildly around him as if he expected an irate guest to come up and attack him. Chin shook his head and slowly stood to come face to face with the businessman.

"I'm sorry, Mr…?"

"Thompson."

"Mr. Thompson. You may wish to prepare your staff and guests for the possibility of the pool being closed for the remainder of the day. We have evidence to gather, possible witnesses to interview…"

"But, but…" Mr. Thompson stuttered. "That is not acceptable! We have an image to maintain! A level of service to uphold!"

"A man has died, Mr. Thompson!" Chin looked over to Kono, who was poking her head into the large cabana and glaring at the manager in disbelief. Once she noticed the look her cousin was throwing her way, she calmed her voice, but only slightly. "Please try to gain some perspective."

The man opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, but didn't say anything further. Chin took the opportunity to throw in another request he was sure the man wouldn't like.

"We're going to need a list of all of your employees. And a list of all of the guests who are staying here."

"You've got to be kidding me!" the manager exclaimed. "We have nearly 800 staff employed here. All of our cast members are dedicated and loyal… they are rising stars! Not to mention, they are all cleared to work here by a vigorous security check, and none of them would ever commit a crime like murder! Second, need I remind you that we have 359 guest rooms and 481 villas… all of which are completely booked?"

"Then you might want to get started."

The man clenched his jaw and his face flushed a bright red, but he bit his tongue. Spinning on his heel, he stormed away from the two partners, who ignored the outburst and turned their attention back to the crime scene.

"Nice one, brah," Kono commented as she looked over her shoulder. "Boss is here."

Steve and Danny strode purposefully across the courtyard, both ducking under the yellow police tape that partitioned the crime scene from the growing crowd of gawkers and onlookers.

"What have we got?"

"Vic is Anthony Fong," Kono reported, stepping aside to allow Steve and Danny access to the cabana and the victim's body. "Twenty-four. The manager tells us that he was hired last week, and that today was his first day."

"Why is he dressed like that?" Danny asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"It's his job, Danny," Chin chimed in. "He was hired as one of the resort's principal character greeters."

"Meaning….?"

"He's Mickey Mouse, Danny," Steve told him.

Danny looked down at the body sprawled on the ground. He wore a long-sleeve black shirt underneath a red Hawaiian shirt. White pants and black shoes completed his festive ensemble. The young man was already small in build, but in the overly large wardrobe, he appeared downright tiny.

"He was found this morning by the Morgan family. They had rented the cabana for the day. According to Max, time of death was between five and six this morning," Kono finished her report, slipping her notebook in her back pocket.

"How was he killed?" Steve asked, crouching down to examine the body.

"Strangled," Chin reported, handing over an evidence bag. "It's a beaded necklace. The manager confirmed it is part of the vic's costume."

"Get it to the lab. See if we can get any prints off it." Chin nodded and accepted the bag back from Steve. "We should get a list of all of the employees and guests staying here as well."

"Already on it."

"Also get a list of any employees recently let go or any complaints filed against the resort lately," Danny added.

"What do you think?" Steve addressed Danny. "Disgruntled employee?"

"That or someone who's got a serious problem against rats."

"Mice," Steve offhandedly corrected.

"What?"

"Mickey Mouse, Danny. Not Mickey Rat."

"Seriously?" Danny asked, thrusting his hands out in front of him. "Right now?"

"Chin, let me know when you have those lists," Steve asked, ignoring Danny's venomous glare.

"We may not need it, boss," Kono chimed in. "I just found out something interesting. I spoke with one of the employees here, and she told me that this is the third incident against Mickey in four weeks. The first was pushed down a flight of stairs. The second was locked in a closet for two days. Both employees promptly quit. Apparently, all of this started after an employee… Jake Fisk… was fired for coming in to work drunk. I'll give you three guesses what job he had."

"Being Mickey Mouse," Steve deadpanned.

"Got it in one."

"Alright. Danny and I will go to talk to Jake. You two finish up here and let me know if the lab comes up with anything solid."

* * *

><p>"Give it up, Jake. We know you were unhappy about being fired from the resort. So what… you thought you'd take it out on the poor souls hired to replace you?"<p>

Jake Fisk shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, and his pale skin seemed even more translucent in the muted blue light of the Five-0 interrogation room. His uneasiness could have been due to the fact that Steve and Danny paced around him in a slow circle.

Or it could be because he was currently higher than a kite.

"I don't know where you got your information, man, but I could'a cared less about that stupid job." The two Five-0 team members loomed over the seated man, and he fidgeted with his shirt before continuing. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Except show up drunk to work and get yourself fired," Danny pointed out. "We hear you trashed an employee lounge on your way out, too. So what… that wasn't enough? You had to rough around the new guys? And what happened this time? Huh? Why'd you kill Anthony?"

"I didn't kill anybody! I'm telling you, man, I was happy to get fired. That place just wasn't for me. The only person angry about me losing my job was Gerald."

"Who is Gerald?" Steve prodded.

"My dad."

"Wait, you call your dad Gerald?"

"He's my step-dad," Jake clarified. "Anyway, I only took the job in the first place because of him. He wanted me to have it so bad, man. Told me I could be a 'rising star,' whatever the hell that means. Worked it all out with the other managers and shit. I just went along with it cuz I needed some dough."

Danny locked his arms across his chest and frowned, letting out a drawn out sigh.

"Where were you this morning between five and six?"

"Dude, I was sleeping. You can ask my mom. She'll tell ya. I'm never up before noon, man."

Danny sighed again as he turned toward his partner.

"This isn't our guy."

"Clearly," Steve agreed, turning to look at Jake. "You're free to go."

"Sweet." Jake bounded out of the chair and the two partners shared a look of frustration as they escorted him from the room. They met up with Kono and Chin at the central workstation and watched in silence as Jake left the offices.

"Anything?" Chin asked.

"Nada," Danny answered. "You guys come up with anything?"

"As a matter of fact, we did," Chin stated as Kono pulled up new information onto the workstation screens. "We found some interesting correlations between each of the three incidents. First, the attacks always occurred on Mickey's first day on the job, and always as he was heading to his first appearance of the day. Victim one: heading to an appearance at a breakfast buffet. Victim two: a private birthday party in a guest suite. Victim three: on his way to the sunrise luau on the beach. Also, Mickey Mouse was never attacked in a random back room or deserted area. All the incidents happened in relatively public areas. But they occurred at perfect times in which no one else was around."

"Meaning our attacker would need to know the schedule of Mickey, not to mention be very knowledgeable regarding the layout of the resort," Steve concluded.

"Exactly."

"Okay, hold on a second," Danny said. "Two things. First, you all need to stop calling these people 'Mickey,' okay? It's creeping me out. Second, the attacker has to be a current employee. Someone with access to schedules, layouts, keycards…"

"Like a supervisor?" Kono suggested. "Or a manager?"

"Precisely," Steve decided.

"So what's our next step?" Kono asked.

"I think we need to lure this guy out," Danny stated. "Clearly he has some sort of MO. So let's take advantage of that."

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, the entire Five-0 team stood assembled within an employee lounge at Aulani Resort, where they met with Kalani Amalu, a current cast member and fellow principal character greeter. The young man had been cleared as a suspect, and therefore was being trusted with the team's plan to lure out their killer.<p>

"I'm sorry, Commander, but you do not meet the criteria to be Mickey Mouse."

Danny looked curiously over at his partner. Steve, who had probably been on classified missions in over a dozen countries, taken out legions of terrorists, and quelled revolutions with nothing but a fork and a smile, was being told there was something he was unqualified for. And he wasn't taking the news too well.

"I don't meet the criteria?" he growled. To his credit, the short employee did not back down. "What exactly _are _the criteria?"

"Quite frankly, sir, you are too tall. Mickey Mouse must be five foot two."

As if a silent signal had been given, each member of the Five-0 task force slowly turned to look at Danny.

"Oh, come on! I'm not that short!" he shouted, throwing both hands up in the air in a flash of fury. "I'm five-five!"

No amount of arguing from Danny prevented the inevitable, and within the hour, he was being helped into the iconic Disney character costume. Amalu was unhappy as well, stating the strict guidelines pertaining to who could and could not portray Mickey Mouse. But in the end, it was agreed that the murderer must be caught, and Danny was the one who best fit the part.

"I can't believe you are making me wear this ridiculous getup," he grumbled as Steve bent down to help Danny slip on the giant pair of shoes.

"C'mon, Danno," he replied, smirking. "You're the one who said we needed to lure the guy out. This is the best way to do it."

"This is NOT what I had in mind, and you know it!" Danny retorted, throwing his arms out wide. "Who knows when this thing was last washed? This better not be the same costume our vic died in, Steven, or so help me…"

"Relax! Of course it's a different suit. Now, let's go over the plan one more time."

"I'm not a child. I know the plan," Danny grumbled. "Let's just get this over with. Leave the head and I'll take care of the rest."

Steve shot up a single eyebrow and smiled. Danny glowered.

"Fine," Steve stood up, and handed over an earpiece. "We'll be one floor down. Let us know if you spot anything out of the ordinary."

"I'm sorry, Commander, but the detective will not be allowed to speak once he becomes Mickey Mouse," Amalu reported seriously. "It's company policy."

Steve snorted at the irony of the situation, while Danny's glare hardened. Finally, he waved them off. After Steve and Amalu left, Danny easily slipped on the giant head of his disguise and he walked over to view himself in the mirror. Taking in his appearance, he shook his head slightly, though Mickey's head didn't even budge from his slight movement.

"You ready to go, Danny?" Steve's voice echoed through his earpiece.

"I look like a cartoon."

"You _are_ a cartoon. It's time to go."

Danny left the small lounge and began his trek down the long hallway and the path they had drawn up the night before. There was no way to guarantee that Danny would be attacked, but if their suspect followed the same protocol he had the previous three times, the chances were good. He knew his teammates were close by, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was helpless. To say that his mobility was limited was a severe understatement, and of course he was unarmed. None of the attacks had been overly violent, save for the latest victim, so Danny clung to hope that he would at least be able to fend off his attacker until back-up arrived.

At the end of the hall, he took a left, then another right. Ahead stood the chrome double doors that lead to the kitchen, and as Danny approached, a small shadow swept across the floor. He hesitated a moment, unsure if he should continue on or alert his team. Aside from his movements being hindered, his visibility was limited at best. On guard, Danny slowly continued forward, reaching the doors and swinging one of them open.

Suddenly, the door swung outward back at him with such force that he stumbled backward. Tripping over his large shoes, Danny lost his battle to keep his balance and he fell to the floor.

Hard.

"Danny?"

He didn't realize he had made a noise when he fell, but he must have, as Steve's worried voice called to him through his earpiece. The impact shifted the placement of Mickey's head on Danny's shoulders, effectively making it impossible to see anything. But he could sense that whoever had knocked him down was still near… hovering over him.

"Steve…"

Danny didn't want his voice to come out sounding so needy and pathetic, but the wind had been knocked out of him and it was hot in the costume and he couldn't see and dammit… he was more than just a little disoriented.

"We're on our way."

Danny was pinned to the ground by someone putting a knee into his stomach. He groaned as the pressure intensified.

"You are not welcome here," a low, gravely voice threatened near Danny's head. "Quit this job, and never come back."

"Get off me!" Danny growled as he reached forward, grabbing his attacker's knee and twisting hard. The action allowed him to scramble to his feet as quickly as his restricting costume would allow, but his temporary freedom came at a cost of an elbow to his gut. Still unable to see, Danny fought back wildly, swinging out and around him, hoping to land one good punch on his attacker. He knew he must look ridiculous, but his mounted frustration had taken over, pure rage coursing through his veins now.

"Shit," Danny swore as he was pushed from behind and slammed forward against the wall with such force that the head that bobbled helplessly on his shoulders nearly toppled off.

"Freeze! Five-0! Step away from the mouse!"

Danny rolled his eyes at Steve's ridiculous command, but his attacker backed off. He could hear his team moving in and securing the area, and Danny shifted the Mickey head on his shoulders, letting him get his first look at their suspect.

"Thompson?"

Chin was busy cuffing Gerald Thompson, general manager of the resort. The tall man huffed proudly as he glared at Danny and the rest of the Five-0 team.

"You don't understand," he pleaded wildly. "That job was supposed to be my son's! And they took it away after one mistake! One little mistake!

"Your son?" Chin asked from behind him. "Wait, Jake Fisk is your son?"

"Step-son," Thompson corrected. "Do you know the strings I had to pull to get him this job in the first place? He needed this job! He wanted it so badly, too! I thought maybe he'd get his job back if no one else wanted it, you know?"

Danny took two steps forward so Mickey's nose was inches away from the man's face.

"You know what's sad?" he spoke quietly, looking into the man's eyes. "You did this all for nothing. Jake never wanted this job."

Thompson's face contorted into rage as Chin and Kono led him away from the scene. Steve laughed as he moved toward his partner, camera phone already out and snapping a quick picture of Danny.

"Well, that's certainly an image I'll never forget."

"What's that?" Danny asked as he unceremoniously flopped the Mickey head off his shoulders.

"Mickey Mouse losing in a fight to some lanky businessman."

"Shut up," Danny scowled. "And don't think I missed the fact that you took a photo, McGarrett. Don't you _dare_ think about passing that around!"

Danny brushed past his smirking partner and made his way back to the lounge so he could get out of his costume. He knew this was one he wouldn't be living down for a very long time.


	14. N is for Nerves

**A/N:** This was originally written for the LJ community: shoot_the_curl, and is quite different than anything I've written thus far. I hope you enjoy!

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><strong>N is for Nerves<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - -<br>****************

"I don't think she's coming."

"Would you relax? She'll be here. She's just… running a little late is all."

"An hour? That's more than a little late, Kono."

Kono shrugs off Danny's accusation and orders another round of beers. He's been antsy ever since they arrived, and his nerves are… well, getting on her nerves. The way his right leg bounces up and down at a rhythm of its own accord. The way he keeps biting his lower lip. The way he runs his hands through his hair when he thinks she isn't looking. But she notices it all. All of his nervous habits, just like his heart, are out there in the open for the world to see.

And she can't help but find all of it incredibly attractive.

Swallowing down her emotions with a gulp of beer, she glances once again at the entrance to the club. Her friend Celia was supposed to arrive exactly one hour ago. Kono had spent the past week cajoling her to go out with Danny. The two of them had a great deal in common, and Kono thought they would really hit it off. Celia was a little on the shy side, so convincing her to go on a blind date was next-to impossible. Finally, her friend had conceded, agreeing to meet Danny, but only if Kono came along. Her next task had been to persuade Danny to go out with Celia. Danny had openly laughed in her face the first time she'd brought it up, but Kono was nothing if not persistent. Eventually he caved… whether from actual intrigue about a date with Celia, or just to get Kono off his back, she wasn't sure.

Now they are at the club, waiting, and sadly it appears as though Celia has lost her nerve and isn't going to show.

She had deliberately chosen this place as Danny and Celia's first date. The club had a nice blend of locals and mainlanders, making it easy for the Jersey native to blend in and not feel awkward, while Celia, born and raised on the island, would feel right at home. Tonight the club is a little crowded, but there is enough dark corners and tucked-away booths to allow a semblance of intimacy and privacy, should anyone want it. The bass from the music hums and thumps in a deep resonance, its rhythm both daring and inviting.

Kono's gaze moves back over to Danny, and she is surprised to find him looking right back at her.

"She isn't coming."

She's curious why she doesn't find any hint of disappointment in his voice, but doesn't allow herself to dwell on it.

"I guess not."

Danny nods and licks his lips, and Kono has to look away to prevent herself from staring. Why does he have to do things that cause her heart to drop and her breath to hitch and _to drive her completely crazy_?

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised," he says softly with a shrug of his shoulders. "I mean it's not like I haven't been down this road before."

"I don't follow," she answers, hating the defeated tone of his voice and the disheartened look in his eye.

"No one wants to be with a cop, Kono. It's the sad truth about our job."

"Well, that's a pretty sad outlook, Danny. And it's one I don't share."

"You're young," he says with a finality that makes Kono's heart ache. "You'll learn in time that people don't like to date people like us."

"You know, there are people who _like_ you, Danny," she retorts, and the words have left her mouth before she can help herself. "You'd realize that if you'd only open your eyes and pay attention."

It's as if the entire club has gone still in that moment. The booming music that had been a constant since the minute they had walked in the door has suddenly diminished… the upbeat melody lulling down to a slower tune. It could be Kono's imagination, but it even feels like the patrons seated closest to their table have hushed their discussions as if to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place next to them.

Kono hides her embarrassment behind another long pull from her drink. Danny's expression is hard to read, but after a few moments of what Kono would describe as very awkward silence, Danny stands and walks over to her side of the table. She slowly lifts her eyes to his, and she tentatively takes the hand that he is offering her. At first she thinks they are leaving, but he silently leads her to the dance floor where they join the throng of couples already spinning and swaying to the music. Danny pulls her close and Kono holds her breath when she feels him place a hand on the small of her back. Together they rock back and forth on the dance floor, each step breaking down the thick tension and slight stiffness of getting used to being this close to one another.

"So," Danny suddenly begins, leaning forward to speak into her ear. "What people?"

Kono shakes her head minutely in response to his question that she is quite certain he already knows the answer to. Danny laughs, and it is warm and inviting and Kono feels the last vestiges of her walls breaking down.

"You know, Grace loves this song," Danny says as he pulls his hand away from her back to point at the air. Kono wishes Danny would put his hand back on her body, immediately missing its warmth and stability and _God, when did she start acting this way?_ "She plays it all the time on her iPod."

"Grace has excellent taste in music," she replies as Danny nods and he slips his hand back behind her.

Kono has never been with a man like Danny. Not that she's with him now, she reminds herself. But the music and the dancing and the alcohol consumed earlier has her mind wandering to the _what-could-be's_ that have been lying dormant in her mind. Danny has a kid. And not just any kid, but Grace. Grace… who Danny would move mountains for… the reason Danny moved thousands of miles across the globe… who Kono herself had easily fallen in love with the minute she met her with her youthfulness and joy and innocence. What woman could possibly compete with that? And Kono didn't want to compete with Grace and _what is she doing?_

The music suddenly morphs into an upbeat tempo, and the floor is instantly crowded with rambunctious dancing. They pull apart and look at each other for a moment before Kono feels herself blushing.

"Maybe we should just stop. It's getting late, and…"

"Don't," Danny warns her over the thumping bass and swarming bodies that are looming closer and closer to where they stand. He steps forward and takes her hand before leaning in to speak again. "Don't over-analyze this, okay? Because if you do, then I will, and then we'll find a million reasons why we shouldn't be doing this. We'll find a way to sabotage something that hasn't even begun yet."

Kono isn't sure. She knows want she wants… she's always known… but now that an opportunity has presented itself, she's scared. _It's Danny_, she keeps telling herself, and the _what-if's _begin flooding her mind. But then she sees the look in his eye and feels the softness of his hand in hers and then o_h, he's biting his lip again!_ And she melts.

He smiles and tugs her hand slightly, and once again he's leading her through the throng of people. They stop momentarily at the table to pay the tab, pick up her purse, and then they head for the exit. It isn't until they reach the cool evening air that Kono realizes that Danny hasn't let go of her hand and she smiles, recognizing that perhaps tonight was a night of first dates after all.


	15. O is for Ocean

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><strong>O is for Ocean<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - -<strong>**************

The force of the impact jerked him awake as the violence of the collision quaked his entire body. Steve winced against the pain radiating throughout his chest as his body slammed forward in one bone-jarring instant, every ounce of breath leaving his lungs in a giant whoosh. Then, just as quickly, he was jerked back again, his momentum stopped by a padded seat behind him. He waited a few moments to be sure he was no longer going to be wrenched around like a rag doll before cautiously opening his eyes.

His head was angled down and to the left, his eyes settling on a scratch running along a large formed piece of leather. Though he was stationary, he felt uneasy and nauseous, and he held his gaze on the scratch until the queasiness passed. Blinking slowly, Steve raised his head slightly. The leather, it turned out, was actually the interior of a car door; a car, he realized, he didn't recognize. He was settled in the driver's seat, and the seat was pushed all the way back so that his feet were not able to reach the pedals on the floorboard. Outside, it was dark, though light seemed to be dancing around the car as if they were floating. The illusion of the swirling lights intensified Steve's dizziness, and he closed his eyes to regain his bearings.

Details of how he got in the car or how the car came to a sudden crashing halt prickled at his memory. Five-0 had been working on a case… an attempted bombing... they had figured out who was responsible… there was a cabin… a flash grenade… Danny had gone down…

_Danny!_

Slowly, carefully, he moved his head to the right to peer at the passenger in the car with him. Danny was uncharacteristically still. His eyes were closed; his head tipped forward, chin resting awkwardly against his chest. Other than sporting a large bruise near his left temple, Danny didn't seem to be seriously injured.

"Danny?"

No response, but the steady rise and fall of his partner's chest reassured Steve that he was alive. He reached out, grabbed onto Danny's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake, but he still didn't rouse. Letting his hand fall back to his side, he took a few calming breaths before assessing their current situation.

Whoever had put them in the car had taken the care to buckle them in. He looked down toward his feet, noticing a large block of concrete that rested against the gas pedal. Steve unclasped his belt and leaned forward to remove the object, picking it up to weigh it in his hands thoughtfully as he leaned back in his seat. Something unsettling washed over Steve, though the pounding in his head and the general unease about his apparent memory loss prevented him from figuring out exactly what was wrong with this situation.

He dropped the concrete back to the floor and looked out of the car. An eerie glow danced around the windows, seeping through the heavy darkness as if they were underwater. Steve blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision to get an idea of exactly where he and Danny had crashed, but nothing he did changed his view outside. His odd vision problems, combined with his rolling stomach, made it difficult to think. No matter how still he forced himself to be, the car still felt like it was rocking. Feeling the need to get out, he tried to open his door, but it wouldn't budge. Leaning into it didn't help matters at all and he closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. As he did, a new sound reached his ears… a creaking noise combined with a sort of splashing sound.

Suddenly the reality of the situation pierced through the dense fog in his mind and his eyes snapped open. The darkness. The noises. The "dancing" lights. He looked again out his window and immediately it all made sense.

The car was _sinking._

Steve cursed. He tried to measure how much time had already elapsed. Two… three minutes? _Too much time._ Now understanding what he was looking at, he could see that the water level outside of the car had already risen to just below the window frames. The front-heavy vehicle groaned under the changing water pressure; the weight of the engine pulled the car forward in a sluggish nose-first dive into the unknown depths of the water.

Steve quelled the panic threatening to overwhelm him as he first tried to lower the window. Nothing happened, as the electrical system in the car must have sputtered out after being submersed in the water for so long. He knew that the door was not an option until the pressure on the inside of the vehicle matched the pressure on the outside. And without knowing how deep they were sinking, Steve was unwilling to wait that long. He needed to get himself and Danny out. Now.

Steve turned toward Danny and climbed over the center dash to reach his partner. The angle of the car caused Danny's motionless body to slouch against the strain of the seat belt. His hands, usually so full of energy and frantic movements, dangled limply in front of him.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, Danny, just hold on," Steve rambled in a low, steady whisper. The silence within the vehicle was unsettling, and he found himself wishing for a good Jersey-sized rant to obscure the sounds of the car creaking and moaning under the increasing weight and pressure of water as it sunk lower into the water's depths.

He knew he had to unbuckle Danny too, but in his unconscious state, he worried that his friend would slump too far forward for Steve to get a good grip on him when the time came. His only option was to get his partner to wake up before making their escape attempt.

"Time for you to wake up and show me your _swimming for survival _skills, buddy."

Steve shook his partner again with little success before resorting to a few face slaps. Eventually the blonde detective's head lolled in his shoulders as a small moan escaped his lips.

"C'mon, partner," Steve encouraged. "Wake up."

Danny's eyes fluttered open, their unfocused gaze searching around wildly before finally settling on Steve. His brows furrowed in confusion before he spoke; his voice deep and raspy.

"Steven? Why are you sitting on me?"

"I'm not sitting on you." Steve rolled his eyes, but moved so he wasn't hovering so close over Danny. "I'm waking you up. We have to get out of here."

"Where are we?" Danny asked as he leaned his head back.

"We're uh…" Steve stumbled, pretty sure how his partner was going to react to finding out that they were currently in a sinking car. "I don't know." It wasn't a lie, but he figured a half-truth was better than taking the time to fully explain their predicament. "But we need to move. Now."

"Okay, okay," Danny mumbled. "Just give me a sec."

"Nope, no time, partner," Steve said as he reached across Danny's torso to unbuckle him. Keeping one hand on his friend's shoulder to prevent him from flopping forward once he was no longer restrained by the seatbelt, Steve used his other hand to press down on the release. With each passing moment, the car continued to lean forward at a downward angle, and it was getting more and more difficult to keep balanced in the small space.

"Whoa, whoa," Danny threw his arms out to prevent Steve from invading his personal space further. "What are you doing?"

Steve huffed out an exasperated sigh and figured he'd better spit it all out at once and get it over with.

"I don't know how or when, but we were knocked unconscious and stuffed into this car. The car was then driven into the ocean, Danny, and now it is sinking. We need to get out now before we get too deep. I'm helping you get out of your seat, seeing as you are still a little out of it, so we can break the rear window and swim to the surface."

Danny's face registered some shock before it quickly contorted into anger.

"The car was driven into the ocean," he repeated.

"Yes," Steve replied, opening the glove box and the center dash, looking for any tools or objects that may come in handy. "Or maybe dropped off a cargo ship. Look, the details really don't matter right now. What's important is that we need to get out of the car as quickly as possible."

"The details don't matter?"

"Are you going to just repeat everything I say, or are you going to get yourself out of the seat and help me?"

Danny opened his mouth to say something, but quickly clamped it shut after another large creaking sound echoed through the car. Bracing his feet against the floorboard, Danny unbuckled himself and turned around so he was kneeling on his seat and facing the rear of the car.

"What are you looking for?" he asked as Steve continued to search the car's interior.

"Something to help me break through the rear window. I'm not sure if I will be able to with just my boots."

Danny aided with the search, looking under his seat and into the rear of the car, but came up empty. Steve, on the other hand, reached down near his feet and came up with a large chunk of concrete, a grin forming across his face.

"Perfect!"

"Where did that come from?"

"When I came to, it was pressing down the gas pedal," Steve explained as he removed the headrest from his seat and climbed into the rear of the vehicle.

"So let me get this straight," Danny began, his arms already moving in a whirlwind. "Someone knocked us out, shoved us in this car, and then proceeded to drive us into the ocean?"

"Didn't I _just_ say that, Danny?" Steve asked from the back seat.

"Yes, but now that I confirmed it, I find that I'm really pissed off!" he shouted back.

"Well, we can discuss the injustices of the situation when we get out of here," Steve retorted, reaching out a hand for Danny. "Now climb back here."

Danny swatted Steve's hand away as he climbed into the back seat. Steve could sense his partner's concern and anxiety, even though he could tell he was trying hard to hide it. But Steve didn't have time to calm his friend down. Too much time had already elapsed, and there was no way of knowing how far below the surface they already were.

"Here's what's going to happen," Steve explained quickly. "After I knock out this window, water is going to rush in. But it still shouldn't be a problem to swim up and out through the torrent."

Steve waited as Danny nodded.

"You'll go first. Use the car if you can to help propel yourself to the surface. Just follow the bubbles up if it gets disorienting." Steve paused to let Danny digest the information, his partner's skin draining of all color. He reached out and put a reassuring hand on Danny's shoulder. "I'll be right behind you if you need help."

Danny took a deep breath and held it, preparing for the worst. Steve shook his head.

"Don't hold your breath just yet. Wait until the last possible moment. Are you ready?"

"Oh yeah sure, looking forward to it," Danny's retort fell a bit flat, his nervousness seeping through the attempt at deflection.

Steve offered him a thin smile before he swung back the piece of concrete and slammed it into the center of the window. The glass cracked and webbed out in all directions and he wasted no time in slamming the concrete into it again. The glass burst and instantly the cold water flooded into the car.

"Go! Go!" Steve shouted. Danny stepped up onto the seat and scrambled out through the window. Steve waited a moment and then followed him up and out, careful to avoid Danny's legs which were kicking out ahead of him.

The darkness made it difficult to keep his eyes on Danny, and the salt water stung his eyes as he tracked his movements. His partner was struggling against the current and Steve could tell that his energy was draining rapidly. Steve surged forward and he came up alongside his friend, quickly interlocking his outstretched arm around Danny's flailing one, and tugging him toward the surface. Together they kicked and lunged upward through the icy water until finally they breached the surface together, taking in large gulps of fresh air as they bobbed and kicked to keep their heads afloat.

Steve first checked to make sure Danny was okay, and at a silent nod from his partner, he turned to get his bearings. Bright lights illuminated a large dock situated about fifty yards from where the two partners waded in the ocean. Steve pointed, and without a word, he and Danny began swimming toward the shore. It was slow going… Steve reducing his pace considerably to stick as close to Danny as possible. Finally, Steve could touch the murky bottom, and he used the support it offered to lend a hand to his exhausted partner. The fact that Danny silently accepted the aid was a large indicator at how tired he really was.

The water clung to their clothes like weights as they drug themselves out of the water and onto the rocky shore next to the long dock. Danny flopped himself down onto his back, heaving in large breaths in an attempt to calm his shaking body. Steve sat down next to him, pulling his knees up and resting his head on his hands. Though his SEAL training had put him through worse situations than what he had just experienced, he could still feel the adrenaline beginning to wean from his body, and he began to tremble slightly against the cold.

He reached out and put a hand on Danny's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

"You okay?"

His hair was matted down and his clothes tightly hugged his frame and Steve could see the small quakes racking through his body. But with effort, Danny sat up and shook his head.

"No," he said quietly. "No, I am not okay. I hate swimming. I hate the ocean. And, above all, I hate this island."

Steve expected nothing less than a large rant from his partner, but the outburst lacked venom and vitality. Steve stood and without warning, bent over and pulled Danny to his feet. He swayed slightly, but together they walked toward the dock, Steve hoping they would be able to find a phone.

"Think we drove off that dock?" Danny asked, nodding his head toward the long pier that jetted out into the water.

"Yeah," Steve acknowledged, shifting a little bit more of Danny's weight onto his side.

"Fantastic."

They walked in silence until they crested a small hill that overlooked a small shipping company that seemed to operate out of this small port. Steve looked up and saw several cameras mounted on the side of a few buildings and he smiled. Once he and Danny were fixed up, they'd be able to pull footage and find out who had attempted to drown them.

"Told you."

"What?" Steve asked, looking to his right to see Danny looking back at him.

"Told you I could swim."

Steve grunted as he helped Danny continue forward in their search for a phone. It was true that Steve had harbored doubts that his partner could swim, despite Danny's arguments to the contrary. But Danny did prove today that he could swim for survival.

"I don't suppose this experience will help convince you to go swimming for fun anytime soon."

Danny shook his head. "Don't hold your breath just yet."


	16. P is for Pineapple

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><strong>P is for Pineapple<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - -<br>******************

Danny chased his quarry with rapid speed, zigzagging through the endless rows of crates piled at least fifteen feet high. He barely caught sight of his target's heels rounding another junction, and Danny pushed harder in his pursuit. A left. A right. Another left. The storeroom was huge and the layout confusing. It was difficult to know which way the suspect was headed, and therefore nearly impossible to warn any of his teammates to be on the lookout.

"Steve, I think he's headed your way."

"Acknowledged" Steve's voice chimed in through Danny's miniature earpiece. "Chin, you and Kono cover the rear exit. Make sure he doesn't get out."

"On it."

Danny continued to close in, despite the twinge of pain he felt in his knee. The young man he was tailing was physically fit, but Danny could tell that he was slowly running out of steam. It was only a matter of time before he was outpaced and in Danny's custody. He turned another corner and pulled up, spinning in a small circle. It was a dead-end. And the suspect was nowhere in sight.

Danny swore to himself before turning around and heading back out into the maze of aisles. "I lost him," he reported to his team. "Steve, be on the lookout for-"

He didn't know what had happened until he felt his body hit the concrete floor, the front of his head slamming hard against the unforgiving surface. There was a flurry of noises and activity around him, but he was too stunned to move, his eyes rolling back into his skull as he fought to keep awake. Danny was vaguely aware of objects falling on him and around him. He tried to move and stand, but both his thoughts and movements were sluggish. Moment by painful moment ticked by as he lay, sprawled out on the floor. He wasn't alone for long before he heard his partner running toward him, his frantic voice calling out.

"Danny? Where are you?"

"Here," the Jersey native managed to croak out. Within seconds, Steve was at Danny's side. He could feel him shifting things around, and finally his partner's face swam into his field of vision. Immediately he could see the flash of concern in Steve's eyes, but it disappeared so fast, Danny almost believed he had imagined it. But he noticed his friend's panted breaths and how tense and rigid he held himself.

"Are you alright?"

"You're the one sprawled on the floor and bleeding, and you're asking if _I'm_ alright?" Steve asked. "Just shut up, Danno."

Danny furrowed his brow in confusion, and even that minuscule movement caused pain to shoot across his head. He flinched, but asked, "Why are you mad at me?"

Steve sighed, exasperated. "You're the one always telling me what an idiot I am for chasing after suspects _alone_. And then you go and do it?" His tone was angry, but there was no real strength behind it. Though he tried to mask it, Danny could see the worry in his partner's eyes. "So now it's my turn to say that you're the idiot."

Danny nodded, wincing along with the pain it brought him. He could accept Steve's observation, though he was unsure of why. If he put himself in Steve's shoes, he probably would be yelling at him too. "But you're okay?"

Steve audibly sighed at his partner's stubbornness. Danny was obviously hurting, yet he was putting his concern for Steve ahead of his own well being. He shook his head and scowled, wanting to both hug his partner and smack him across the face.

"I'm fine," Steve finally conceded, forcing himself to keep his tone light. "Just be still, okay? Paramedics are on their way."

Danny's eyes began to drift shut. Steve put a hand on his shoulder and shook it carefully, causing the detective's eyes to slowly slide back open. He struggled to focus on any of his surroundings, however, and again his heavy eyelids drooped shut. The head of Five-0 turned to glance over his shoulder at Chin, who was walking over to where Steve was hovering over Danny.

"Ten minutes," he reported.

"Faster would be better," Steve responded dryly before turning his full attention back to his fallen friend. "Ten more minutes, buddy. Can you stay awake for me until then?"

"Mm hmm," Danny groggily replied. It wasn't that he didn't want to stay awake. He really did. He recognized the signs of a concussion, having suffered several during his tenure as a cop. He knew the risks of unconsciousness. But his body had other plans as the lure of slumber kept pulling him away deeper and deeper.

"…thinking, huh?"

The tail-end of Steve's question reached his ears and he managed to peek one eye open to stare up at his partner.

"Wha' happ'nd?"

He watched as Steve regarded him with soft eyes before he settled down next to him, quickly running a hand through his hair.

"Well, that depends on what you remember."

Danny closed his eye and concentrated. He knew that he and the rest of the Five-0 team had been here to apprehend… someone. The suspect had taken off, and Danny had given chase. Though how he ended up on the floor with a giant headache was unclear.

"I was chasing someone," Danny slurred out, his eyes still firmly clamped shut. "Dunno what happened after that."

"Well, brah, I don't know how to tell you this exactly, but..." Steve shifted next to him and cleared his throat. "You were attacked by pineapples."

Danny carefully opened his eyes to squint up at his partner. Steve's face didn't reveal any hint of sarcasm or humor, but what he said could not be true. Surely he had misheard him.

"Pineapples?"

Steve nodded. "Yes, Danny. Pineapples."

"I don't follow…"

"Area's clear!" Kono's voice rang out through the large space as she jogged over to where the rest of the team huddled together. "Hey guys, what's..?" Her voice trailed off as she stepped around Chin, her face immediately flashing with concern as she looked down. "What happened?"

"Pineapples."

Kono shot up a single brow in skepticism. "Okay…"

Steve thinly smiled at everyone's confusion over the incident. He wasn't entirely sure how it had happened either. One minute he was running a parallel path to Danny and the fleeing suspect, the next he heard the thundering sound of pineapples crashing to the ground.

"From what I can guess," Steve began, "our suspect managed to climb up on a row of crates, and pushed several of them down."

Danny may have been concussed, but he could still glare with the best of them. "On top of me?"

"On top of you, buddy."

"Well isn't that just great?" Danny tried to raise an arm up in an accompaniment to his rant, but winced against the sudden movement. He steadied his breathing, attempting to quell the sudden onset of nausea and pain that plagued his body. "Tell me you at least caught him."

"We took care of that for you, brah," Kono proudly reported from somewhere above him. "He tried to make a run for the back exit."

"But I introduced him to my shotgun," Chin finished for her.

Danny smiled up at his teammates before slipping his eyes closed once again. He could feel Steve's hand squeeze his shoulder, and he was thankful for the gentle contact that served to ground him through his terrible headache.

A few minutes later and the paramedics arrived, shooing the Five-0 team out of the way to gain access to Danny. After being quickly evaluated, he was placed onto a gurney and they made the long trek back through the endless aisles. Steve stuck close to his partner until they finally reached the entrance to the warehouse and they stepped out into the open air. He stepped back to watch as the paramedics hoisted the gurney up and into the back of the ambulance, unsure if he should hop in and accompany his friend to the hospital. Deciding that he should probably stay behind and help Chin and Kono with their suspect, he stepped forward to grab his partner's attention.

"Hey, Danno?" Steve waited until Danny turned his head toward him, Danny's glassy eyes fixing him with an unsteady glare. "After today, I'm guessing you will continue to harbor your irrational hatred toward pineapples?"

Danny reached up to remove the oxygen mask from his face, swatting away the paramedic's hand that attempted to clamp it firmly in place. His answer wasn't unexpected, but it made him laugh nonetheless.

"Now more than ever, Steven. They tried to kill me!"


	17. Q is for Quitting

_Spoilers up through 2x10._

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><strong>Q is for Quitting<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - -<br>********************

Steve McGarrett gingerly walked up the stairs that led to the entrance of Five-0 headquarters. It had been three weeks since his mission in North Korea, but his battered and bruised body had yet to fully heal. Each step brought a twinge of pain through his cracked ribs, and by the time he reached the top of the stairway, he was breathing heavily and sweating.

Luckily the task force hadn't been assigned any high profile cases since they had returned to the island, allowing Steve to rest up and reflect on what he had been through. The physical ordeal had been difficult enough to overcome. He'd suffered several bruised and cracked ribs, a Scaphoid fracture in his left wrist, a labral tear in his left shoulder, and a concussion. However, Steve knew that it was his emotional scars that would take longer to heal than his physical ones. Jenna's betrayal and subsequent assistance in Steve's escape was still fresh on his mind. He hoped that, in time, he would be able to look back on the experience with objective eyes and come to terms with the entire experience.

Each of his teammates had also been grateful for the reprieve. Danny was still sleeping on Steve's couch, claiming that his search for a new place to live had stalled. Steve could tell, however, that Danny just needed some reassurance that his partner was okay, choosing to stay with Steve longer than he had originally planned. Chin and Kono had taken to dropping by unannounced as well, and though Steve appreciated their concern, he wished for things to return to normal. So he was secretly hopeful that Five-0 had been assigned a case after he received a text message from Lori Weston, asking him to meet her in her office this morning.

He pushed open the glass doors and strolled over the Five-0 emblem on the floor, seeking out the newest member of the team. He found Lori alone in her office. She was seated in her desk chair with her back to the door and to Steve. He rapped on the door twice before entering and she spun to face him, looking worn and tired. She stood, a little stiffly, and cleared her throat.

"I'll get right to the point. I've sent an e-mail to the rest of the team, but I wanted to tell you in person." Lori took a deep breath and straightened up before looking Steve in the eyes. "I'm quitting Five-0. I'm leaving Hawaii."

Steve stared at Lori in disbelief. "Why?" Lori shrugged, but Steve recognized her attempt at nonchalance. The look in her eyes gave away the stress and pain of her decision.

Lori turned away from him and began to pack up her things, carefully placing items into the cardboard box situated on her desk. Steve moved in closer and placed a hand on each of her shoulders, turning her around and forcing her to look up at him.

"Tell me what happened, Lori."

"Governor Denning…" she began softly. "He asked for my resignation."

Steve let go of her shoulders and ran a hand through his hair. He knew it! He knew there would be consequences to his team's actions in North Korea. Though Joe had managed to use his considerable contacts to sweep most of the mission under the rug, had they all been foolish enough to think that Denning would merely look the other way?

"Because of North Korea?" Steve asked quietly, even though he was certain he already knew the answer. Lori nodded.

"Partially. In his words, it was for my complete failure to do the duties that which I had been assigned."

Steve mulled over the Governor's words. Though they had been working together for a little over three months, Steve had yet to fully understand Lori and her role within Five-0. He had originally associated her with a babysitter… someone looking over his shoulder on every decision he made and reporting back to the Governor. However, he quickly learned that she wasn't that at all. Lori had helped out on a large number of Five-0 cases, especially when Kono had been undercover for Internal Affairs. And when Steve had been certain that his actions were toeing the line, Lori seemed to look the other way. Sadly, in Denning's eyes, Lori had failed to do what he had asked of her.

The Governor's decision made complete sense, but still it angered Steve. Lori had been a valuable asset to Five-0. To take her away now would be a detriment to the team, and to the state of Hawaii. Also, the fact that yet another decision was being made about his team without his consent made him furious.

"I will not accept this," Steve growled as he stormed out of Lori's office. "I will go and talk to him. Make him see reason. Take responsibility for…"

"No!"

Steve spun around to see Lori hot on his heels. She caught up to him quickly, urgently placing a hand on his arm. "No. Don't. You can't."

"Why not?" Steve demanded. "You've done good work here, Lori. And for him to make a scapegoat out of you… it just isn't right. Not for something that was my fault."

Lori dropped her hand from Steve's arm. "You cannot blame yourself for this! You did something heroic and noble for someone you trusted. You couldn't have known what was going to happen." She paused to make sure Steve was looking at her before continuing. "We all knew what we were getting into and what could happen once we got back. This isn't me being a fall-guy. This is me taking responsibility, because you and I both know that someone has to."

"But none of this is your fault. It wasn't _your_ idea to go to Korea. He didn't tell _you_ not to come get me. It was…" Steve trailed off as he realized what he was saying. Lori offered him a thin smile, recognizing the conclusion that Steve was reaching. It hadn't been Lori who had appealed to the Governor.

It had been Danny.

While Steve had been healing in the hospital, Joe had filled him in on the operation and how it had been assembled. Danny had been the one to seek out the SEAL's help. Danny had appealed to Governor Denning for aid in a rescue attempt, only to be strongly denied. According to Joe, Denning's exact words had been: _Don't do anything you'll later regret, Detective. Let us resolve this through diplomatic means._

"Denning wants someone's head over this unauthorized mission," Lori whispered as she looked imploringly into Steve's eyes. "I can't let it be Danny. He's your partner. He's your friend. More than that, I know how badly he needs this. Denning needs someone to blame. Better me than one of you."

Steve rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was so tired. Tired of running. Tired of fighting. Tired of life and death decisions that had unforeseen consequences.

But most of all, he was sick and tired of not being in control of anything.

"Lori," he began, ready to argue with her further, but she stopped him by quickly stepping forward and firmly pressing her lips against his. Surprised, Steve stiffened, but made no move to pull away. After a moment, she stepped away from him and offered a genuine smile.

"Take care, Steve. Keep doing the good work that needs to be done. Don't let Denning, or anyone else, stand in your way." She turned her back on him and walked back into her office to gather her belongings. A minute later, she reappeared with a single box in her hands. "Who knows… maybe we'll meet again someday."

"I hope so." Steve reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder before she walked past him. "And Lori?" She stopped and turned and he offered her a warm smile. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome," she replied before walking out of Five-0 headquarters for the final time.

* * *

><p><em>Let me just add that Cokie suggested that Q be: "Q is for the Quartet Quarantined under a Quilt after the Quandary of a Quake-induced Quicksand Quagmire resulting in a Quack prescribing Quaalude after a Quibble turns into a Quarrel about Quetzalcoati."<br>_


	18. R is for Recovery

_Some Kono/Charlie friendship here. Although I do believe they would make the cutest couple! :)  
><em>

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><strong>R is for Recovery<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - -<strong>******************  
><strong>

"You really don't have to do this," Kono repeated for the third time since being discharged from the hospital. "I could easily stay with Chin for a few days."

"Nonsense," Charlie responded, carefully easing a hand underneath Kono's elbow to help her stand. She quietly hissed as her bruised and battered body protested against the movement, and she leaned into Charlie's body as he led her away from the wheelchair and toward his parked car. Once the passenger door was open, he again guided her movements, this time downward and into a seated position. "Besides, Chin needs to take care of himself. He can't do that if he's taking care of you. You _both_ need time to heal."

Charlie shut the car door before Kono could argue with him again, quickly climbing into the driver's seat and pulling out into traffic. He watched as Kono leaned her body slightly against the car door, her head resting uncomfortably against the window. Her eyes were clamped shut and he grimaced in sympathetic pain each time he hit a pot hole or turned a corner, noticing how she silently winced at each small movement her body made.

"I've got the guest bedroom all set up for you." Charlie glanced over to his passenger, hoping a little small talk would provide Kono with a distraction. "It will be great," he added as a small reassurance for the both of them. His passenger didn't respond and the rest of the trip was spent in silence.

By the time Charlie pulled into the driveway of his home, Kono was asleep. He watched her for a moment, taking in her features. The left side of her face still bore the miniature burns that the explosion had caused. A yellowing bruise blossomed on her chin. Her left hand, draped protectively across her stomach, was still wrapped in gauze and tape. He sighed, drawn in to her natural beauty, even with the battle scars she now adorned.

He tried his best to sneak out of the car, but Kono woke as soon as he opened her door. Charlie reversed his movements from the hospital, this time carefully lifting Kono up and guiding her slowly to the front door, thankful he didn't have any porch stairs for Kono to traverse.

"It's a good thing you live on the ground floor," Kono commented, and Charlie chuckled quietly.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he explained at her questioning glance.

"I really think I could have just gone home," she continued through gritted teeth.

"That wouldn't have been any better than going to Chin's," Charlie countered, pulling out his keys and unlocking the door before swinging it open. "Besides, Commander McGarrett was quite adamant that you stay here for a little while."

Kono snorted, and then stiffened at the pain her reaction caused. "Believe it or not, it is possible to say no to Steve."

"Could've fooled me."

Together they managed to get into the house and over to the couch without incident. Charlie once again checked his movements as he lowered Kono down onto the couch, arranging the pillows once she was settled to help support her still-fragile frame. Once he was satisfied she was comfortable, he left her with promises of returning with some of the best soup she had ever tasted.

Charlie knew very little about the incident that had caused Kono's injuries. He was told that there had been a targeted bombing against the entire Five-0 task force. While Steve and Danny had escaped with relatively minor injuries, Chin and Kono had been trapped beneath the rubble for several hours. After five days in the hospital, Chin had been released. Two days later, Kono was allowed to leave under the condition that someone was around to help her with her day to day tasks for a while. Just until she had recovered enough to manage on her own.

Charlie would have never had the courage to propose that Kono come and live with him during this time. Initially, it looked as though plans were being made for her to stay with Commander McGarrett, but Kono had flatly refused, stating that moving in with her boss was just a bit too awkward. Her cousin then suggested staying with Charlie, and when Commander McGarrett finally insisted upon the arrangement, Kono had grudgingly accepted. Charlie hoped she wouldn't be too uncomfortable here. He knew that she was a strong-willed person, and accepting help of any kind had been difficult for her.

Lost in his own thoughts, he almost missed it when she glanced his way and offered him a thin smile. He smiled back before turning his attention back to the soup, now warmed and ready. Scooping out a small helping for Kono, he quickly snagged a spoon and joined her on the couch. He offered a quiet apology after the cushions sagged against his added weight, causing Kono to shift slightly and hold her breath against the pain.

"Think you can eat this on your own, or shall I feed you?" he asked, playfully. He was elated at the smile she gave him, even though it was accompanied by the best stink-eye he'd ever seen.

"Hand it over, Fong."

Smiling, Charlie slowly handed over the bowl of soup. Kono ate her meal in silence, and Charlie was thankful she finished it all. Once she was finished, he helped her settle into a comfortable position before heading into the kitchen to clean up. When he finished, he returned to Kono to find her in a fitful doze. He hated to wake her, but he knew that she was due for her pain medication, not to mention a good night's sleep.

After a moment's debate on how best to wake her, he decided to just lift her up and carry her to bed. Crouching down, Charlie slowly slid one arm behind her back, looped the other beneath her knees, and stood. He was surprised how light she felt as he easily started walking down the hall.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled tautly against his chest.

"Taking you to bed," he calmly replied. Carefully, he maneuvered down the hall and into the spare bedroom. Thankful he'd already prepared the room, he cautiously eased her onto the mattress, finally pulling the covers over her and tucking her in.

"Bet you didn't think it would be so easy to get me into bed, did ya?" Kono smirked at Charlie, and he rolled his eyes at her playfulness.

"Very funny, Kalakaua. Now take your pain meds, lay back, and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

It wasn't long before Kono was settled and Charlie bid her goodnight. He waited only five minutes before poking his head into the room to check on her, happy to see that she had already fallen asleep. Leaving the door open a crack, just in case she needed something, he made his way down the hall and into his own bedroom, hoping for a peaceful sleep for his hurting friend. He wasn't asleep for long before he sat up abruptly in bed. Unsure of what had awakened him, he rubbed sleep from his eyes, glancing at the clock. It was then that he heard the small cry, and he shot up from the bed, grabbing a shirt from his hamper as he dashed from his room, down the hall, and practically falling into his spare bedroom.

His breath hitched as he took in the sight of Kono. She was sitting up against the headboard, and hunched slightly forward with her arms wrapped protectively around herself. Her face was pale and sweaty and even in the dim light, Charlie could see that she was shivering. He was at her side in an instant.

"What's wrong?"

"I j..j..just can't seem t..to get warm."

"Okay. Umm… just a second." Charlie jogged out of the room, returning a few moments later with a large afghan and a pair of slippers. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly as he helped slide the slippers on her feet. Kono didn't respond as she accepted the blanket from Charlie and began to tuck it around her waist and legs.

"That's an interesting shirt you've got on there," Kono pointed up at Charlie, and he glanced down. He hadn't been paying attention to what he'd pulled on when he'd sprinted out of his room. He was honestly just thankful he had even remembered to put something on in the first place.

"Thank you. It's the periodic table," he admitted self-consciously. "Now don't change the subject. Do you want to talk about it?" Not able to meet Charlie's eyes, Kono looked away and shook her head. "Well, if you need me… I hope you know that I'm here for you."

"I… I do know that, Charlie, thank you." Kono swallowed hard and reached forward, grabbing his hand with hers and squeezing gently. "It's just… it's still a little fresh, you know?" Charlie nodded sympathetically, and she smiled again.

"Well, I'm just down the hall. Call me if you need anything, okay?" Charlie turned to go, but Kono clung to his hand more tightly. He looked back over his shoulder to see Kono smiling shyly up at him, her eyes twinkling.

"I was actually hoping you'd stay?"

Charlie didn't know how to respond to Kono's request. Though they had known each other for quite a long time, Charlie couldn't always pick up on Kono's hints and subtleties. What did she mean? Was she being serious? He felt himself clam up and stiffen, not sure what he should say.

Kono's smile grew. "You're overthinking this," she explained. "I was just hoping you'd stay until I fell back asleep? It's embarrassing, I know, but-"

"Of course I'll stay," Charlie blurted out a little excitedly, and he tried hard to compose himself as he walked around the end of the bed and climbed in carefully, lying awkwardly on top of the comforter. Next to him, Kono settled in nicely under the heavy blanket, and Charlie was happy to see some color returning her face. She gingerly rolled onto her side so she was facing him, and once again she reached forward and clasped his hand in hers.

"So, the periodic table, huh?"

Charlie couldn't help the laugh that escaped from his lips. "Shut up." He smiled down at her, and he scooted down so he was lying face to face with his friend, no longer feeling nervous or uneasy. He wasn't sure how long Kono would be staying with him, or what the coming days would bring, but he was looking forward to many more small moments like this one.


	19. S is for Strengths

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"This is silly."

"I thought it was fun! I'm looking forward to discussing it today."

"You're young, Kono. When you're my age, you'll think 'team building' activities, such as this, are silly too."

"Give it a chance, Danno."

"Shut up, Steven."

Inside of Five-0 headquarters, Danny, Kono and Steve waited (some more patiently than others) for Chin to escort their guest to the conference room. It had been the Governor's idea to conduct this particular team bonding experience, apparently part of a new political action plan for all departments to work more smoothly and effectively, and Danny was beyond annoyed. Not only did this activity involve homework, but also an accompanied book and group discussion session. Danny had been ready to blow it off, but when the Five-0 leader had _accidentally_ let it slip to Grace that her father had homework to finish, he didn't stand a chance. For the past ten days, Danny had been subjected to nightly phone calls from his daughter to check up on his progress. So, grudgingly, he had completed his assignment and was ready to get this dreadful experience over with.

"I don't know what you're worried about, Danny," Steve continued with a shrug of his shoulders, unfazed by the glare the blonde detective was currently drilling into him. "Afraid we'll all find out that your unhealthy obsession with New Jersey is, in fact, unhealthy?"

Steve was spared Danny's livid reply as Chin entered with Dr. Alex Freedman. Freedman had met with each of the task force members two weeks prior to explain how the Strengths Quest process worked. Each of them had been assigned a book to read. Afterwards, a test had been taken to assess each person's strengths. Today, Dr. Freedman was returning to meet with the group as a whole to discuss their results openly.

"Good afternoon," Freedman boasted happily as he slapped his black leather briefcase on the conference room table. Chin took a seat next to Kono as the doctor began pulling folders and paperwork from his case. "How is everyone today? Looking forward to exposing our strengths, I hope?" He smiled hopefully at Danny, who only clenched his jaw in reply.

"I'm ready!" Kono announced happily, purposefully avoiding Danny's eyes.

"That's the spirit! Now, as I stated briefly when we met individually, this session will give you an opportunity to enhance your level of understanding of one another and to identify ways that you can leverage a complementary partnership." Freedman stopped speaking momentarily to hand out a navy folder to each of them before returning to stand at the head of the table. "Please, open your folders. Inside you will find a summary of your top five strengths based on the Strengths Finder test you took last week."

Danny flipped his open and leafed quickly through the paperwork inside. He sensed Steve peering over his way, and he quickly slammed the folder shut, grumbling as he did so.

"No need to be secretive, Detective. We'll be digging deeply into your strengths today!"

Danny audibly sighed at Freedman's over-the-top giddiness and deliberately reopened his folder, pulling out the stack of forms inside and laying them on the surface in front of him. He tried really hard to ignore the goofy grin that spread across his partner's face.

"Let's begin with a brief overview of the team. You ranked high in the Executing theme, which isn't surprising for a group such as this. Groups that have dominant strengths in the Executing domain are types of people who will work tirelessly to get something done. Commander McGarrett, you should be proud of the team you have put together here. It isn't surprising that the Governor looks to you time and time again for help."

"Thank you." Steve nodded, taking time to look at each of his teammates and smiling proudly.

"But I can also see how this would bring up some tensions among the group as well. When you have four individuals, such as yourselves, all generating and focusing their energies on achieving and accomplishing a lot, you have to watch carefully for burnout. If you are all so focused on the task at hand, you have no one watching your back telling you that it's time to relax or take a break. So be aware of that as you continue onward in the future."

Danny watched as each of his friends nodded in agreement, and he rolled his eyes. If he honestly had to sit through an hour of this guy spouting off crap about…

"Detective Williams, why don't we start with you. Would you mind sharing your top strength, please?"

"I'd rather not."

Using his freakishly-fast ninja skills, Steve leaned forward in his chair and snatched the paperwork Danny had placed in front of him. Danny tried in vain to grab it from the SEAL's hands, but Steve was already reading off the list of strengths to the rest of the group.

"Belief? Really?" Steve raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yes, Steven. Belief," Danny confirmed, finally managing to seize his forms back from his possessive partner. When Steve's face remained contorted in his _what-you-are-saying-cannot-possibly-be-true_ face, Danny thrust his hands out in front of him. "What?"

"Nothing! I'm just surprised, considering what happened at the burial site on Halloween."

"Commander, you are mistaking the Belief strength with spiritual belief. While the two can be somewhat intertwined, they are actually quite different." Freedman finally sat down in a chair and placed his elbows on the table, leaning his head thoughtfully against one hand as he regarded Danny carefully. "Detective, do you have a family?"

Danny squirmed under the doctor's watchful gaze. "I have a daughter."

"I see. And I am assuming that you care deeply for her?"

"Of course I do!" he exclaimed, maybe a bit too defensively.

"He moved to Hawaii from New Jersey to be with her," Steve explained and Freedman nodded.

"Well, that explains it then," he stated matter-of-factly and he addressed the rest of the team. "Those who possess a strong Belief theme have deep, core values. These values vary from one person to another, of course, but ordinarily a Belief theme causes one to be family-oriented." Freedman paused to gesture toward Danny, who was only kind of listening. "These core values give your life meaning and satisfaction. It also makes you dependable and easy to trust, as I'm sure your friends can attest to."

He phrased his last statement as a question and Danny looked around to see Kono, Chin and Steve each nodding in agreement.

"Having a Belief theme makes you passionate, steadfast and responsible. But it can also mean that you are stubborn, opinionated, and set in your own ways."

"That's definitely true of Danny," Steve shared.

"Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery!" Danny shouted, and Steve smiled sheepishly.

"Lieutenant Kelly, you also had Belief on your list of strengths."

"Yes, but I don't have children."

"Children are not a requirement for this strength, Mr. Kelly," Freedman kindly explained. "You have other core values that ring true for you. Perhaps spiritual. Or even a high value on ethics and responsibility. What is your top strength, if I may ask?"

"Deliberative. But I'm not sure if I agree with it," Chin admitted. "It stated in the book that Deliberative people are standoffish and aloof."

"Oh, but you are only looking at the extremes, Lieutenant. The 'basements,' if you will. Deliberative is a fine quality to have. It means you are careful and vigilant. You identify the dangers around you, weigh their impact, and then place your feet intentionally." The doctor paused to allow his information to sink in. Chin seemed content with the explanation, so he moved on. "I was very interested to see that you also had Self-Assurance as one of your strengths. How does that play off your Deliberative theme?"

"Well," Chin began, glancing down at his paperwork. "I guess I haven't really thought about it. Self-Assurance seemed to be a lot like Self-Confidence. But it also sounded a lot like arrogance."

"Yes, yes, it is unfortunate that self-confident people are often portrayed that way. But I've known you for only a short time, Lieutenant, and I already know you are not an arrogant man." Each of his friends nodded in agreement, and Kono put a hand on her cousin's arm.

"That was one of my strengths too," she said, smiling at Chin. "I actually liked what it had to say, and agreed with a lot of it."

"That's good!" Freedman congratulated. "It's always great to feel connected to your strengths. What did you agree with, specifically?"

"The part about having faith in your strengths. Knowing that I am able to take risks and meet new challenges. I also liked how it said that no one can tell me what to think."

"I can attest to that," Danny affirmed. "She's a little McGarrett Junior over there."

"Hey!" Kono yelled playfully, throwing the cap of her pen at Danny.

"That is good to hear, Kono. I'm curious… do you ever have any experiences where this strength is tested? Where you perhaps don't feel like this theme is particularly strong for you?"

"Well," Kono started, looking nervously around the room. "Being the only female of the group can be challenging. Plus I'm the rookie, as Danny likes to remind me on occasion. I guess sometimes I don't feel like I have the authority to make decisions or act on my instincts."

"Hey, Kono, I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I don't…" Danny stumbled. He never once thought his words would have a negative impact on Kono.

"Don't sweat it, brah." She smiled.

"This is good. Good!" Freedman interrupted the silence with one single, enthusiastic clap. "_This_ is why I do this. To dig deep! To find these miniscule tidbits of fantastic information!"

Danny shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Freedman's enthusiasm was grating on his nerves. And while he would continue to grumble about this wanna-be session of group therapy, he was thankful that Kono had mentioned something about his 'rookie' comments. He'd have to be more careful about his flippant remarks in the future.

"We are quickly running out of time, and I don't want to miss you, Commander. Please, tell us what your top strength was."

"Command," he announced proudly.

"Shocking," Danny snarked.

"Having a leader with a Command theme is not as common as one might think," Freedman explained. "Commander, it is obvious that you are both driven and possess a great deal of charisma. I'm sure both of those qualities have helped you immensely in your role as head of Five-0."

Steve plastered a lopsided grin on his face, and Danny rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure this Command strength goes along very nicely with your Activator theme as well. Those two strengths often go hand in hand. You believe that only action can make things happen. You make a decision, you take action. Let me make this analogy: If the decision has been made to go across town, you know that the fastest way to get there is to go stoplight to stoplight. You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green."

Danny laughed out loud. "See, that's perfect, except he's driving my car when he does it."

A look of confusion crossed Dr. Freedman's face, but he pressed on. "I see that you also have the Command theme as one of your top five strengths, Detective. I'm sure that this can cause some interesting dynamics between the two of you."

"It does indeed!" Danny confirmed. "That's because, according to this, Steve can be bossy and intimidating," Danny pointed out, referencing his sheet.

"Then I guess that means you are abrupt and stubborn, Danno," Steve shot back.

"Domineering!"

"Inflexible!"

"Gentlemen, please," Freedman interrupted, holding his hands up in surrender. Steve and Danny ended their banter and turned their attention back to the doctor. "As you can see, two team members having the same theme can cause… tension. And considering you two are partners, I'm sure there are several moments of friction between the two of you."

This time it was Kono's turn to snort.

"The Command strength gives you both the freedom to share your views with others. You are not frightened by confrontation, and you challenge others to be clear-eyed and honest with you."

"This is all well and good, but…." Danny trailed off. He silently cursed this stupid exercise. After Kono revealed how much his 'rookie' remarks had bothered her, he found that he was tripping over things he wanted to say, not wishing to offend anyone around him.

"Please, detective, continue."

"Well, quite frankly, who cares? I already knew that Steve has a tendency to leap without looking and Kono is confident in herself and Chin is a little guarded. I get all that. But I just don't feel like I've been armed with any new knowledge today."

"On the contrary, I think you have! Yes, you know how your teammates around you behave. You experience it every day. But now you know _why_they behave that way. And that is a big difference."

"How so?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, take Commander McGarrett for example. You mentioned that he leaps without looking. Earlier you agreed with the term 'loose cannon' for him. I am hoping that after today, you come to realize that he doesn't do this on purpose-"

"I beg to differ."

"-that this is simply something that is ingrained into his personality," Freedman finished with a smile. "You may see it as a hindrance. But it should really be viewed as strength. This knowledge allows you to plan ahead when working together. Knowing that Steve is an Activator can help you keep up with his way of problem solving. Less talk and more action."

Next to him, Steve snorted.

"Commander, the same goes for you. I hope that after today, you will realize that Danny doesn't throw the rule book at you to be inflexible. It is in those moments that his Consistency theme is shining through, and he is merely attempting to create an environment where the rules are clear and applied to everyone equally. The point of today was not to have you talk at one another as a silly team-building exercise. The point was to learn the deep, real inner workings of your relationships. By doing that, this strong group will become superb."

Freedman concluded his presentation with a flourish and began packing up his things. He shook each of the team members' hands and let himself out of the building. Chin and Kono chatted happily to one another as they too packed up their things and walked out of the conference room.

"See, Danny? I can't be blamed for the things that I do that you just happen to disagree with," Steve said with a smirk. "When I go after a suspect, it is my strengths that are guiding my actions."

"Oh please. I don't think dangling a guy off a roof or throwing a guy in a shark cage can be excused by your Command strength, you Neanderthal."

Steve laughed. "Come on, guys, drinks on me."

Kono and Chin stepped out of their offices and quickly caught up to the two partners as they exited Five-0 headquarters.

"Wait, do you have your wallet?" Danny asked skeptically.

"Well, no. But that's why I have you!" Steve exclaimed, clapping Danny on the shoulder as they pushed through the double doors and out into the bright Hawaiian sunshine. "You are dependable!"

"And trustworthy!" Kono chimed in.

"And responsible," Chin concluded.

"Shut up," Danny grumbled, but smiled at each of his friends. "Fine, fine. Drinks on me, then."


	20. T is for Tick, Tick, Tick

_**A/N:** I haven't thanked my two lovely betas in awhile, who continue to offer up their time to read over these stories and offer up amazing advice. So, thank you sockie1000 and Cokie316. :)********************  
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Officer Kono Kalakaua stepped out from the marketplace, blinking into the bright Hawaiian sun. The shopkeeper had proven to be another dead-end; her third already today. No one seemed eager to discuss the whereabouts of Charles Kramer, a criminal suspected of masterminding several bombings on Oahu. Although it was well-known that he was from the area, everyone she spoke to claimed ignorance as to where Kramer's hideout was.

She was about to pull out her phone to call Chin and say she had hit another dead-end when she saw him. Across the street and a little to her left, Kramer was carrying a large paper bag and walking briskly in her direction. Quickly turning away from him, she dialed Chin and reported her position. After assurances that she wouldn't take him down on her own, Kono ended the call and began walking parallel to Kramer, making sure to stay a few steps behind him.

Keeping eyes on him on the other side of the street was difficult. It was a busy place, with many tourists and locals milling about. She was tempted to cross the road to make tailing him easier, but her promise to Chin gave her pause. Still, it wouldn't do the team any good if she lost him in the crowd. Finally, she found a break in traffic and she made her way across the street.

Now that she was only thirty feet behind him, his tall stature and broad build made him easy to track. His dark shirt contrasted against the sea of brightly-dressed tourists that flooded the sidewalk. So it took Kono completely by surprise when he disappeared. She picked up her pace, quickly peeking into each of the shops she passed, but he was nowhere to be found. Coming up to a small intersection, Kono peered left and right to see if she could locate him. But it was no use. He was gone.

Jogging to her left, she ventured down a small alley hidden between two taller buildings that blocked out the midday sunshine. Kono shivered against the sudden chill, but kept going, keeping alert for Kramer.

"Don't I know you from someplace?"

Kono whipped around at the husky voice that suddenly called out from behind her. She silently cursed herself for letting her guard down and allowing Kramer to get the drop on her. She composed herself and plastered an innocent look on her face, hoping that the notorious bomber wouldn't recognize her.

"No, I don't think so." Kono was pleasantly surprised at how calm her voice was. It certainly didn't reflect the panic that was welling up within her. "I think I would have remembered you."

"Huh, that's funny," Kramer eyed her cautiously, keeping uncomfortably close to the Five-0 task member. "Because I'm pretty sure I remember you."

"You must have me confused with someone else," Kono smiled. Slowly, she lifted her right hand up the side of her leg. Her Kel-Tec PF-9 was tucked snugly into the back of her jeans. If she could just get to it without him noticing…

"You seem nervous," Kramer observed, stepping even closer to Kono, who steeled herself against the instinct to back away from him. Her hand was at her waistline now… only a few more inches…

"Well, you startled me is all."

Nearly there…

Suddenly, Kramer lunged forward and grasped Kono's forearm with a tight grip. Immediately, Kono spun, kicking her left foot out to sweep Kramer's leg. His grip tightened, and Kono hadn't even completed a full turn before she was slammed forward into the brick wall. She let out a grunt as the skin on her cheek tore against the rough surface and the air was forced out of her lungs. She could feel Kramer removing her gun from her waistband, and he forcibly turned her around so again they were face-to-face. The much-stronger man pressed his arm across Kono's chest, pinning her to the wall, as he leaned in close to her face. He cocked the weapon and held it up under her chin, forcing her to lean her head back against the pressure.

"You're with HPD." It wasn't a question. Kono tried to squirm away from him, but his full weight was on her chest now. "No, not with HPD. Five-0."

"Officer Kalakaua, Five-0," Kono confirmed through gritted teeth. "You're under arrest."

Kramer barked out a laugh and leaned in closer, his hot breath washing against her face. "I don't think so, little lady. Let's have some fun, shall we?" He smirked, then jerked his hand back and swung out at her head. Kono braced for the impact, and she blacked-out… taken down by her own weapon.

* * *

><p>"Clear!" Commander Steve McGarrett whispered into his mic after he swept the kitchen.<p>

"Clear!" Chin echoed from his position in the rear of the home.

"Clear here," came Danny's low reply after he swept each of the bedrooms. The team met up at the bottom of the stairs and silently began their ascent up to the second floor.

Twenty minutes ago, Five-0 had received an anonymous tip that their missing teammate was being held in this elaborate two-story home in Kahala. Kono had not been seen or heard from since she had reported seeing Kramer over eight hours ago. Her cell phone had been recovered in an alley, but no other trace of her had been found until now.

HPD set up a perimeter around the neighborhood and Five-0 went in alone. After clearing the main floor, the three men reached the top of the stairs and fanned out. Steve reached the end of the hall where a locked door prevented him from going any further.

"I've got a locked door," he reported to his team before he lifted his gun and kicked his leg out, smashing the wooden door off its hinges.

"Steve, wait!" Kono shouted once she heard Steve's voice on the other side of the door.

But it was too late. The door banged open and the head of Five-0 crossed the threshold first, followed immediately by Chin Ho and Danny. In the center of the large room was Kono, securely tied to a chair, a look of panic on her face.

Kono saw a flash of anger in Chin's eyes as he swiftly strode to her side and looked her over. "I'm okay," she reported, but she knew she probably looked a mess. Her cheek still burned from its scrape against the brick wall back in the alley, and her head throbbed in time to her heartbeat. She could see her own blood dried on her shirt where it had dripped from her head injury. "You need to get out of here. Now."

"What?" Chin looked up from where he had knelt by her side. "Why?"

"It's a trap. There's a bomb." She tilted her head to the right and Chin followed her gaze. Outside of the chair on which Kono was currently tied, the only other piece of furniture in the room was an old oak dresser. "Top drawer. Kramer put it in there right before he called you guys with his _anonymous tip_. I think it was activated as soon as you opened the door. Please, Chin, get out of here."

Chin's face visibly paled as he looked at the dresser, but made no move to leave without his cousin. Steve stepped away from the door and strode directly to the dresser. "Do you know what kind?"

Kono shook her head. Chin began to untie Kono's arms and legs from the chair. Once she was free, she stood and walked over next to Steve to stare at the offending dresser. Steve carefully opened each drawer until he found the one that held the sinister device. A small ticking noise was emanating from the bomb's timer, and Kono shuddered. Bending low, Steve assessed the bomb before abruptly standing and taking a step back.

_Tick, tick, tick._

"Chin, Danny, get Kono out of here now."

"Wait, what?" Danny demanded, stepping forward to stand beside his partner. "We need to call the bomb squad."

"There's no time," Steve reported grimly before turning to look at his team. "Get out of here now. I'm going to try to disarm it."

"No, no, no," Danny vigorously shook his head.

"Danny, there isn't time to argue about this!" Steve shouted, turning to glare at his partner. He then shared a significant look with Chin, who solemnly nodded before grabbing Kono by the arm and pulling her toward the bedroom door.

"No, Chin. NO!" She screamed, trying to pull away from him. "We can't just leave him here. Steve!" She continued to yell and fight against her cousin, but his strength won out and he pulled her down the hall and stairs and out of the house.

_Tick, tick, tick._

Danny took a small step toward his partner. "You can't do this alone, Steve. I'm staying."

"No, you aren't," he countered, grabbing Danny's shoulder with a firm grip. "You need to go now. I can handle this. Now get out," Steve ordered.

"No!"

"Danny, leave!"

"Or what, Rambo? You gonna shoot me?" Danny glared at Steve defiantly as he pulled away from his grasp. "We're wasting time. Tell me what you need me to do."

_Tick, tick, tick._

Steve narrowed his eyes, apparently deciding on whether or not to argue with Danny. Finally, he turned his attention back to the bomb. "Okay. But if it looks like I don't have time to disarm it, you are out of here. You got it?"

"Only if you're right behind me."

Steve clenched his teeth against his partner's stubbornness. "Fine, just help me remove the drawer from the dresser. On three."

Danny moved around his friend and bent down low, sliding his hands under the drawer. On Steve's count, together they carefully pulled out the drawer and set it softly down on the carpeted floor. Steve immediately went to work removing the outer edges of the drawer so all that was left was the bomb and the floorboard.

"So, what do you think?"

"Just give me a sec, Danny." Steve got on his knees and pulled out his SIG, turning the tactical light on and shining it into and around the device. "Hold this," he said, handing the gun over to his partner, "and shine it right here."

Danny did as he was told, lowering himself down onto his knees in an effort to calm his unsteady nerves. Steve cautiously unhinged the outer casing of the bomb to reveal its innards. Danny gasped at all of the wiring that protruded from the small bomb. It didn't look like it would be as easy as cutting the red wire like it was in the movies.

_Tick, tick, tick._

Danny's eyes moved immediately to the bright counter that all too quickly ticked down the seconds to detonation. They had 97 seconds. Correction: Steve had 97 seconds. Danny watched as his partner methodically went to work. He carefully separated the wires, peeling some of the outer casing off a few of them to expose the inner connections. After a few more agonizingly quick seconds, Steve leaned back on his heels and looked up at the nervous detective.

"It's a dud," Steve concluded after a few moments of silence.

_Tick, tick, tick._

"What? How do you know?"

"Here," Steve said, pointing a finger at several wires protruding from the top of the bomb. "These are meant to look like lead wires. But they aren't connected to anything. This," he continued, gesturing to the device as a whole, "is all for show."

"Are you sure?" Danny asked wildly, his eyes darting between the bomb and Steve's face. His partner's determined stare told him all he needed to know. "You're sure."

_Tick, tick, tick._

"Yes. I'm sure."

"But why? Why go to all this trouble to make a fake bomb?"

Steve took back his weapon from Danny's outstretched hand and holstered it, shrugging. "I don't know. To toy with us? Keep us focused on disarming his bomb while he gets away?"

Danny nodded. He really didn't have time to consider a madman's motives when the timer at his feet was ticking down at a rapid pace. "What happens when the timer reaches zero?"

Steve stood up and Danny followed suit. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

_Tick, tick, tick._

Danny couldn't take his eyes off the timer. It was now under a minute. He looked back up to Steve, who was looking confidently back at him. "Trust me, Danny." Danny's heart told him to trust his friend. His head, however, was telling him to get the hell out of there.

When he'd first met McGarrett, not once did it cross his mind that he would become friends with him. Not only had Steve gotten him shot that first day, but every day since had been a roller coaster of car chases, shark cages, shootouts and grenades. Danny would rant and curse and question his every move, but through it all, not once did Danny doubt his trust in the Five-0 leader. Steve "you-are-the-backup" McGarrett was his partner. His _brother._

He'd stick with him until the end.

_Tick, tick, tick._

"Geez," Danny sighed, running a shaking hand through his hair. He paced back and forth as the timer ticked down closer to zero.

"You can leave if this is stressing you out, Danno."

Danny stopped mid-step to glare at his partner. "Stressing… me… Leave? What? You…" He stumbled over his words as he pointed at Steve, his blood boiling. "Shut up."

_Tick, tick, tick._

Ten seconds remained. Danny couldn't move.

Eight seconds.

Steve had the audacity to actually grin at him.

Six seconds.

Five.

Danny was tempted to close his eyes, but he kept them trained on the timer.

Three. _Tick._

Two. _Tick._

One. _Tick._

There was a soft _pop_ and then nothing. No explosion. No heat. Danny let out a long, drawn-out sigh, and his knees nearly buckled as the relief flooded over him.

"You were right," he rasped out.

"What was that?"

Danny looked into his partner's face to see a broad grin spread across his face. Though he tried to hide it, the relief in Steve's eyes was evident. He didn't know whether to hug him or punch that ridiculous beam off his face.

"Yeah, yeah. Savor it, my friend," Danny snarked. Taking a deep breath, he turned and headed out of the bedroom door.

"Where you going?" Steve called from behind him, and he turned again to face his partner.

"One, I am going to tell Chin and Kono that we are, in fact, not dead. Two, I am going to hunt down this son-of-a-bitch Kramer," Danny brazenly stated. "Are you coming?"

Steve's grin widened. "Right behind you, partner."


	21. U is for Urban Legend

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Danny and Steve stepped out of the Camaro into the crisp evening air. Steve took a deep breath. The smell of sea air mixed faintly with gasoline reminded him of the days in his youth spent in the driveway with his father, working on the Marquis. He sniffed again and smiled, his memories slowly fading to the background as he watched his partner head directly to the trunk of the vehicle to retrieve some extra ammunition and a Kevlar vest.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked, following his partner to the rear of the car. "We're just here to question the guy. I doubt we'll be going to guns on this case."

"Always be prepared, right?" Danny smirked, pocketing a round of clips as he spoke. "Isn't that the SEAL motto?"

"That's the Boy Scouts, Danny."

"Whatever. The point is that with you, one can never be too prepared." The blonde detective finished fastening his vest before handing another one to his partner.

Steve reluctantly snatched it from Danny and hastily put it on. "We're going to spook this guy going in there dressed like we're expecting an ambush. We want him to _talk_, Danny, not run. We have no proof he's involved with the case."

"That's a compelling and convincing argument, Steven, but nevertheless, I am choosing to ignore it. We know very little about this guy. Sure, there is no evidence pointing to him being involved. But there also isn't any evidence clearing him, either. So unless you've got a crystal ball showing you that this guy is spotless, I am going in ready for anything." Danny paused to motion outward with a flourish of his hands. "Can we go now, sunshine?"

"After you, princess."

Together, they crossed the road toward the mechanical yard owned by Hawaiian Tug and Barge. It was here that they hoped to speak to Micah Colby about his brother, Marcus, and his dealings with the Yakuza. Micah's big brother's prints were found at a crime scene earlier in the week, and HPD had yet to track down his whereabouts. Micah, a plant engineer for HTB, seemingly had zero ties to the Yakuza. But HPD and Five-0 were at a dead-end, the case had gone cold, and the two task-force members were hoping to catch a break by speaking with Micah.

"Hey mister! Aren't you Commander McGarrett?"

Danny spun around to see a young boy standing and staring at the duo not far from where they now stood. His small silhouette was shadowed against the setting sun, but he appeared to be no older than Grace. The boy exuded energy, jumping up and down the curb from the sidewalk to the street and back to the sidewalk again. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head inquisitively at them, as if he wasn't quite willing to believe what he was seeing.

Steve's hand, which had flung instinctively toward his holstered weapon, slowly eased down to his side as he glanced curiously at Danny. "Uh, yes."

The boy took a few small tentative steps toward them, stopping only when he came to a rusted lamp post from which he could peek at them from behind.

"Is it true that you can kill someone just by looking at them?"

Danny's jaw dropped slightly before he hung his head, shaking it slowly. _This_ is what his partner needed… something else to boost his '_I'm invincible'_ ego.

Steve eyed the young man carefully, placing his hands on his hips and towering up to his full height. "Only when I'm angry," he finally responded.

Danny looked up in time to see the boy gasp in shock and run away. Without another word, Steve turned around and continued down the sidewalk toward the employee entrance of HTB. A dumbfounded Danny quickened his pace to catch up.

"Are you serious?" Danny asked as they approached the heavy-set doors of the factory.

"What?"

"Have you become some sort of legendary figure on this island? An unstoppable force that is spoken about in hushed whispers behind closed doors? Keep this up, and you'll become a scary story that parents tell their children before they go to bed at night to get them to behave!"

"Oh come on, Danny," Steve casually stated. "He's a kid! They tend to exaggerate when they come face to face with their heroes."

"When did you become such an experts on children, may I ask?" Danny demanded. "And, I'm sorry, but did you just say _heroes?_ I don't believe this! You actually _enjoyed_that, didn't you?"

Steve grinned at his partner.

"Don't give me that look," Danny groaned, reaching the door first, opening it and allowing his partner to go through ahead of him. "You're too confident for your own good. Confidence turns into cockiness. Cockiness turns into smugness. And smugness, my friend, turns into shoot outs and hospital visits for me."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," Steve remarked once they were fully inside the building.

Seeking out and finding the floor manager's office quickly, they were directed toward the back of the building where Micah Colby was supposedly cleaning and locking up his workstation for the night. What they found, however, was Micah huddled behind a large air handling unit, emphatically whispering to his brother, and wanted suspect, Marcus. At the sight of the two Five-0 members, the brothers sprinted off in opposite directions. Danny immediately pursued the much larger, but slower, Marcus to the left, while Steve leapt over a conveyor belt to pursue the agile Micah toward the heart of the building.

Steve was fast. Micah was faster. He also had the advantage of knowing the layout of the mechanical yard better than his pursuer, so losing the Navy SEAL wasn't too difficult. Steve was forced to stop once he lost sight of his quarry, and he crouched down lower toward the floor, gun at the ready and prepared to resume the chase once he caught sight of Colby. He heard a distinct clanging sound in the distance and he froze. He lifted his head, ears and eyes focusing through the shadows that the artificial lighting of the structure cast, in hunt of the source of the noise.

There was a faint sound of a scuffle this time, and he distractedly thought of Danny. What had been the outcome of his chase? Was Marcus in custody? Steve knew Micah had been unarmed, but his brother could be carrying. Finding Marcus here had been a complete surprise, and he hadn't had time to check if the suspect was armed. Steve could already hear the upcoming argument his partner would present. The _I told you so's_ that would be thrown his way. He briefly thought of calling out for Danny, but the Jersey native chose that moment to make himself heard, making Steve's shout unnecessary.

"Steve?"

Steve straightened up to locate his partner's position while still scanning the area for Micah. About fifteen yards from where he stood, Steve saw Danny step out in between two large pieces of equipment. Steve made his way toward his partner, pulling up short when he could see the look on his face.

"Danny, what..?"

Danny's brow glistened with a thin sheen of sweat and his breathing was slightly labored. Though Steve would have normally chalked these symptoms up to the workout of the chase, there was more going on here. Something was off. Danny's hands were empty; his palms were out and held slightly away from his body. He stood too stiffly and his jaw was clenched too tightly, but that wasn't what set the alarms off his Steve's head. He could see something in Danny's eyes.

It was guilt.

"Steve." This time, the detective's voice was strained. Almost deadly. In that millisecond before Steve saw the second figure emerge from the shadows, he put it all together. Snapping his weapon up, he was able to conceal his fear and anxiety before Marcus Colby had fully stepped out, his own weapon raised and pointed directly at Danny's back. In his other hand, he firmly held Danny's Kevlar vest.

"Five-0," Steve announced with as much authority has he could muster. "Drop your weapon."

Colby smirked as he pressed the muzzle of his gun into Danny's back so forcefully that Danny had to step forward to catch himself. He tossed the vest to the ground at his feet, and Steve's anger flared. He kept his hands steady and weapon trained on any part of Colby not currently shielded by his partner's body.

"You know, _Steve_," Marcus Colby began, his tone dripping with smugness. "I'd expected more from the famed members of Five-0. It was too easy to get the drop on your partner, here." Danny closed his eyes against the blatant insult, and Steve willed him to not take this to heart. This wasn't Danny's fault. If anything, he had been right all along to come into this meeting prepared. "So why don't you drop _your_ weapon and kick it over to my brother there?"

Using his peripheral vision, Steve saw Micah back and to his right as he timidly stepped out into the open. Knowing Micah was still unarmed allowed Steve to keep his full attention on the two men in front of him; one of which still coolly held a weapon on his partner.

"Is there a problem, Steve?" Marcus chortled.

"Well I have a problem," Danny perked up, raising one hand up to wave around in a small circle, and Steve sighed. It didn't take Steve long into this partnership to realize that Danny's coping mechanism for when he was stressed or worried was to talk. It was something that he'd gotten used to, and even come to expect, over time. And now, in this situation, it oddly calmed Steve.

"How do you think this is going to end for you?" Danny asked, keeping his eyes on Steve, but clearly addressing the man behind him. "My partner's more likely to shoot you in the head than drop his gun. Hell, he'd shoot me to get to you. See where I'm going with this?"

Normally, Steve might actually agree with Danny. In SEAL training, he was taught how to handle hostage situations and aggressive negotiations. It was then that he learned about the balance of power, prioritizing objectives, and acceptable losses. Right now, Marcus was in control – something Steve had to change, and quickly. Steve's objectives were to apprehend the suspect and his brother, not to mention getting Danny out of this unscathed. Acceptable losses? Steve refused to allow any further harm to come to Danny. The man was more than a partner; he was a friend.

Not to mention that he would never hear the end of it should Danny leave here with more than a bruised ego.

Though Danny's declaration helped Steve remain focused on what needed to be done, it did not bode well for the stoic demeanor Marcus Colby was attempting to maintain.

"Shut up!" Colby demanded. His gun shifted slightly higher and now dug painfully into the nape of Danny's neck. "Give up your weapon, or I shoot your friend here. _Now!_"

Steve's grip on his own gun tightened as all possible outcomes of this situation played out in his mind like a movie. Colby was quickly losing his cool, and if Steve wasn't careful, both he _and_ Danny would be in a load of trouble. He could take a shot at Colby, but risk hitting his partner. Steve was a good shot, but was he willing to take the chance? Relinquishing his weapon would probably result in getting himself shot. Very rarely in his time as a SEAL was Steve presented with a no-win scenario. But that's what this felt like. A no-win. The sad truth was that he and Danny were not getting out of this in one piece. The best Steve could do was make sure that the losses were acceptable.

Thanks to Danny's insistence upon coming to this meeting prepared, there was a third option available. He could rush Marcus. Chances are, Colby would react to the oncoming threat and attempt to take down Steve, leaving Danny in one piece. Steve was wearing a vest. He could take the bullet. His partner seemed to sense the decision that Steve had come to, and he shook his head minutely.

"McGarrett," Danny growled. "Remember what I said about cockiness?"

Steve knew he was taking a gamble here. Marcus could easily panic and shoot Danny first. But he felt confident that he had a good read on the situation. Getting Danny out alive had to be Steve's top objective. He carefully shifted his weight, preparing to launch forward, when the small voice of Micah Colby stopped him.

"Wait. McGarrett? _The_ Steve McGarrett?"

Steve froze, not daring to take his eyes off Marcus and Danny. "Yes."

Micah swore. "This is the head of Five-0, Marcus! He's a friggin SEAL, man! What did you get me into here?"

Several things happened in that small moment. Danny rolled his eyes at the revelation that someone else was clearly in awe of who they were in company with. Marcus and Micah began arguing about the futility of the situation they now found themselves in. But Steve became distracted as movement toward the ceiling caught his eye. Climbing in through an open window was the same small boy that he and Danny had encountered outside. He slipped in feet first, stealthily landing on all fours on the catwalk. Catching Steve's eye far below, he waved a small wave, pointed to something to his left, and began to crawl in that direction. Steve flicked his eyes back and forth between the boy and the scene in front of him. Marcus now had a firm grip on Danny's shoulder, the gun still pointed into his neck. Danny's eyes met Steve's, and one eyebrow raised in question. Steve nodded in reply, once again flicking his eyes upward toward the boy, who had now reached a small grey electrical box. He paused, looking down at Steve, and smiled.

Steve smiled back.

"Mr. Colby!" he shouted at Marcus, but both brothers turned to glare at Steve. "This is your final chance. Lower your weapon."

Marcus laughed. "Or what?"

"Or else I will shoot you, and arrest your brother" Steve responded definitively.

Danny's eyes widened. Micah shifted nervously. Marcus continued to laugh.

"I don't think so. You may be Steve McGarrett, but I'm not afraid of you," Marcus snarled. He cocked his weapon and raised it even higher so it was now at the back of Danny's head. "Say goodbye to your partner."

"NOW !" Steve shouted.

All of the lights in the mechanical yard suddenly went out. Steve switched on the light on his Sig, immediately blinding Marcus with the sudden influx of light. He brought his gun-hand up to shield his eyes, allowing Danny to quickly drop down and giving Steve a clear shot.

_BANG._

Marcus Colby landed with a sickening thud on the floor, blood seeping out from a gunshot wound directly to his chest. Steve swung to his right, illuminating Micah Colby.

"Down on the ground!" Steve demanded. Micah's mouth gaped open, but he hastily complied, dropping to the floor and putting his hands behind his head. Steve quickly strode over and knelt down to cuff Micah's hands behind his back. He released the breath he'd been holding and, using the light on his weapon for guidance, walked over to check on his partner.

"Danny, you okay?"

Danny gratefully accepted the hand that Steve held out for him, and he gradually stood. Looking down at Marcus, and then over to the shadows where Micah lay, moaning in pain, he finally looked up at Steve.

"What is it with you, anyway?" Danny asked.

Steve grinned and shrugged.

"Oh, no, you aren't getting out of this that easily," Danny scolded.

There was a loud, mechanical whine as the lights in the building began to flicker back on. Steve looked up toward the fuse box just in time to see the young boy smile and wave at him once again before he crawled back toward his windowed exit.

"Eat your vegetables, or Steve McGarrett will get you."

Steve looked back down at his partner. "What?"

"That's what I'm going to tell Grace next time she's over for dinner. Because apparently this urban legend thing you have going on is working for you."

"Danny, see up there?" Steve asked, pointing toward the fuse box. "That boy, from outside, he…"

"Nope, nonono," Danny interrupted. "I don't want to know. Let's chalk this whole experience up to one of the many mysterious powers of SuperSEAL. What I want is to get out of here, go home, and forget about this horrible day."

"The only easy day was yesterday," Steve commented, patting Danny on the back.

"What?"

"That's the SEAL motto, Danny: the only easy day was yesterday."

Danny thought about that for a moment. "Well, that sucks," he smirked.

"Why?"

"Because yesterday was pretty crappy, too."


	22. V is for Vengeance

**A/N:** This is a prequel of sorts for "G is for Grace." Sockie gave me the idea for this, and I ran with it. It isn't necessary that you've read "Grace," but if you haven't, please note that this story, and that one, contain the death of a major character.

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Steve thought their plan had been a good one.

"_Everyone has a good plan… until they get shot at!"_

Danny's words echoed through Steve's mind. The floral couch he sat on threatened to envelop him with its over-sized pillows that he was sure were meant to provide comfort and serenity. Neither of which he was feeling right now. He just couldn't get those final words out of his head. Not that he'd known those would be Danny's final words to him. No, at the time he'd just cataloged the detective's remark as another one of his trademark rants. When Steve had relayed his _new_ plan, Danny had nodded in agreement, and the next time he saw his partner…

Steve involuntarily shivered. He leaned back against the pillows with a small groan, the stitches in his shoulder pulling against his body with each move he made. He tilted his head up so he was staring at the tiled ceiling with its muted lights and paled colors and _God,_ he hated every inch of this place. The migraine he'd been suffering through since the complete failure of a raid had barely finished was still gnawing angrily at him. He sighed a deep, shuddering sigh, and closed his eyes, reliving the moments that led up to _**the**_ moment.

Hadn't their plan been a good one?

The plan to take-down of Jasper Pai had to be coordinated and precise. It had to be quick. And it had to require an element of surprise. Pai and his gang, notorious drug runners who had also been responsible for over a dozen deaths, were ruthless, heavily armed, and extremely dangerous. Evading capture for over eight months, there hadn't even been a whisper of where Pai's hangout was located. Not until Five-0 tracked had down and apprehended their supplier.

The guy coughed up Pai's location before the interrogation even began.

Time became short. They knew that Pai would find out that they had captured his trusted weapons smuggler, and when that happened… well, the possibility of him going to ground for good was high. Steve and the team had spent what few hours they had huddled over the workstation in Five-0 headquarters, going over the raid's details again and again until they could recite it frontwards and backwards without hesitation.

Hadn't they discussed the possibility of a trap?

He was sure Danny had brought it up at some point during the planning process. He would have been the one to point out the flaws… he always had the eye for finding the things that Steve missed. The holes that needed to be filled. The details that Steve overlooked. It's what made the team so good. What made Danny invaluable. They had agreed that they would go in prepared for anything and everything. Early reconnaissance was essential. A well-trained SWAT team was a requirement. Every eventuality was accounted for. Every possibly outcome had been predicted.

So how did this happen?

_Getting our Intel from a scumbag_, Danny stated simply in Steve's mind.

None of them had been particularly happy about getting Pai's whereabouts from a well-known weapons dealer. Isn't that why they had worked so hard to be sure that they were ready? Nerves had been at an all-time high, and the team was tenser than Steve had ever seen them. But they were professionals and good at what they did.

No, not good.

The best.

They had expected heavy resistance in bringing in Pai. What they hadn't expected was an ambush the moment they had arrived on the scene.

Steve pulled himself out of the memory and took out his phone, telling himself he was only going to check the time. But his fingers automatically hit speed-dial to the number he couldn't let go. It was foolish, and he'd berated himself several times over the past 48 hours. Yet he couldn't stop. It was almost like an addiction. He'd also laughed at himself for this almost childish act. How many times had he'd just wished Danny would shut up? Now all he wanted was to hear his voice.

Steve's head jerked up at the sound of a man clearing his throat, and Steve ended the call before the voice-mail had time to pick up. Stan had arrived with Rachel. Steve stood, briefly shaking both of their hands before stepping back to keep a respectable distance. The head of Five-0 hadn't had any social interaction with the couple outside of when Danny was with him, so he couldn't place the looks of scrutiny and sympathy they both held.

"Mr. Ling?" Stan inquired.

"I spoke with him when I got here," Steve stated, taking back his seat on the couch. "We wanted to wait until you arrived."

"And Danny's parents?"

"Their flight doesn't get in until seven," Steve reported. "I've already arranged for them to be picked up and taken to the Hilton."

Stan nodded and the trio fell into an uncomfortable silence. Stan appeared like a fish out of water, and Steve suspected that the businessman felt awkward being here… helping plan the funeral of his wife's ex-husband. Steve didn't feel comfortable making all of the arrangements on his own, however. Steve had spent some time speaking with Danny's parents by phone, and they gave him their blessing to begin the process without them. Rachel didn't appear to be at ease, either, as she rocked gently on her feet. But Steve felt it important that they both be involved. He thought Rachel might have valuable insights into how things should proceed, especially with Danny's daughter in mind.

"Where's Grace?" Steve asked, slow to notice that she wasn't with them.

"We didn't feel it was appropriate that she be here," Rachel replied blankly.

Steve nodded. He'd wanted to speak to Grace again ever since he'd showed up at her front door, delivering the worst kind of news imaginable. Grace didn't even cry. Not in front of him, anyway. Rachel had wept. But Grace… well, to Steve, it looked like she just withdrew into herself. The sparkle in her eyes that reminded Steve so much of her father simply vanished. She'd clung to her mother for comfort, but it seemed that the embrace was more for Rachel than for herself. Grace had been avoiding him ever since. When he'd stop by to speak to Rachel, Grace would mysteriously disappear into her bedroom. Steve supposed he understood, having gone through the death of a parent himself at a young age, though his heart ached each time he heard her door close with a soft click.

It wasn't long before Mr. Ling, the funeral director, arrived and escorted the group back into his private office. They began discussing details such as floral arrangements, caskets and guests. Mr. Ling was familiar with the pomp and circumstance that the funeral of a fallen officer held, so much of the details were already planned and accounted for. Steve remained as attentive as he could, interjecting his opinion only when needed, but he couldn't focus. He kept seeing Danny's face. Hearing Danny's final words.

"_Everyone has a good plan… until they get shot at!"_

It wasn't until the discussion turned from ceremony to gathering that Steve's ears perked back up and retuned into the conversation. It was customary for the family of the deceased to hold a gathering at a home or other facility after the funeral. It was there that guests could mingle and remember the fallen, and have a chance to grieve together. The Edwards' tentatively offered their home, and while Mr. Ling appeared satisfied with that arrangement, Steve disagreed.

"No." The small group all turned to look at Steve. "We'll have it at my place."

Rachel and Stan shared a look Steve couldn't name, but before anything else was said, Steve's cell rang. Glancing at his phone, he saw that it was Chin Ho calling. Steve apologetically excused himself from Mr. Ling's office and stepped out into the hallway.

"McGarrett."

"Steve, we found him." Steve held his breath. This was the call he'd been waiting for. Chin didn't wait for a response to continue. "It's going down in thirty minutes. You better get here quick."

"I'm on my way." Steve stuffed his cell back in his pocket before reentering Mr. Ling's office. "I'm really sorry, but I have to go," he stated, looking intently at Rachel. "The gathering will be at my place. I trust you to make the other arrangements."

Rachel offered him a thin smile and Steve nearly tripped over his own feet as he sprinted to the parking lot. He climbed into the Camaro, slammed the door shut behind him, and gunned the accelerator. Thirty minutes wasn't much time to get to HPD, so he switched on the sirens and lights and blew through every red light he encountered.

_Slow down, you maniac!_

Smiling, his gaze drifted over the passenger seat, now empty… forever empty.

Steve hadn't even realized he was still choosing to drive Danny's Camaro until Chin had delicately pointed it out to him. At first, Steve shrugged it off as a routine he had fallen into. But now he realized it was much more. Sitting in this driver's seat allowed him to still hold on to a tangible piece of his partner. And if he let go of this car… this _connection_… to Danny, it made everything real. Permanent. He'd have to accept that Danny really was gone. And that was something he just couldn't deal with right now.

Steve's fingers twitched, aching to pick up his phone once again to temporarily fill the void that Steve endlessly felt. But he forced down the urge and focused on the road, instead choosing to vividly recall the moments that led up to the last time he saw his partner alive.

Five-0 had arrived at the assembly area roughly a quarter mile away from Pai's supposed drug cache. Steve wanted to get some solo reconnaissance in before the SWAT team arrived, so the team arrived early and in pairs; Steve and Danny in the Camaro, and Chin and Kono in the Cruze. They'd just stepped out of the car and were grabbing their gear when the first gun shots rang out. Steve, along with Chin and Kono, were able to run for cover down an alley on the far side of the road. Danny quickly ducked to the right, taking up position behind a large, green dumpster.

At first, it appeared as though there was only one shooter. Two, at most. Steve and Danny ducked out from their hiding places to provide well-aimed cover for Chin and Kono, whom Steve had sent down the narrow alleyway to try to flank their attackers. Once the cousins had left, however, it became rapidly clear that the ambush on the team was well organized, and loaded for bear.

Gunfire immediately erupted to the rear, and Steve and Danny had been forced to divide their attention between multiple targets. They had inadequate cover and limited ammunition. They were boxed in from all sides.

"_Well, this is going well!"_ Danny had shouted from his position across the street.

Steve leaned around the corner and shot off two more rounds, thankful when one hit its mark. One down, three to go. _"It was a good plan, Danno," _Steve had yelled back in between volleys.

"_Everyone has a good plan… until they get shot at!"_

How true that had been. But there was no time to reflect upon the decisions that were already made. More gunfire had exploded around them. This time, two new attackers were bearing down upon Danny's position, and the blonde detective quickly found himself pinned down with nowhere to go. Steve remembered relaying his new plan to Danny, who skeptically nodded in agreement.

Step one was to get behind Kono's car. Step two meant breaking cover again to reach his partner behind the dumpster.

The former SEAL leapt out from his cover and ran toward the sporty red car parked halfway between his location and Danny's. Steve had barely made it four steps before he felt the white hot flash of pain pierce his right shoulder, but he managed to dive forward behind the rear wheel well of the vehicle. Stopping for only a moment to catch his breath, Steve had crept around the car, peeked up and over the trunk, and that's when it happened.

The shooters had reached Danny. Steve was forced to watch in horror as his partner… his friend… went down. Steve reacted in rage. He stood to his full height and emptied his clips into the two gunmen in front of him. Sprinting across to the dumpster, he dropped his gun and scooped up Danny's, rapidly spinning around to take aim at the third man, positioned high above on a nearby rooftop, who had shot Danny. He clipped him, and the man smiled down at him before he stepped out of the line of sight.

It was Jasper Pai.

Gunfire continued to echo through the streets as Chin and Kono did their part in bringing down the remainder of Pai's men, but Steve couldn't focus. All he could process was that Danny's murderer was getting away. As a former SEAL, Steve's instincts were screaming at him to chase after Jasper Pai, but his heart rooted him in place. Falling to his knees, Steve held back the tears that threatened to fall. From the moment the shot rang out and Steve saw his friend fall, he had known that Danny was dead. But that didn't stop him from reaching out fragile, shaking hands to feel for a pulse he knew would not be there. There was nothing he could do for Danny now except hope to capture, or kill, the man responsible for his death.

All he had to look forward to was vengeance.

And now he finally was getting that chance.

Immediately after the raid, Governor Denning took Five-0 off the resulting search for Pai and the remainder of his gang. Chin had managed to sweet-talk his way back on board the following morning, which was how Steve now found himself racing to join him, along with HPD, assembling to take down Pai. He arrived at HPD just in time to see the caravan of squad cars pulling out with Chin following close behind on his bike. Steve fell in line behind them as they traversed the streets of Honolulu, until they arrived in a secluded neighborhood. Steve hopped out of the car, blatantly ignoring the looks he received from the officers gearing up for the raid, and strode over to Chin.

"He's inside."

"You're sure?"

Chin smiled. "Positive."

Minutes later, Steve found himself inside the hideout of Jasper Pai. Three of his men had been taken down or arrested, but the ringleader had yet to be found. It wasn't until Steve entered the lower level that the murderer revealed himself with a swift kick to Steve's hand, sending his weapon across the room. Steve counterattacked with a roundhouse kick that sent Pai stumbling to his left. Pai used the momentum to push off the wall, ramming hard to Steve, sending both men backwards and to the unforgiving floor. Pai landed in a few quick punches before Steve wrestled his arms around him, yanking him hard and to the right. Steve finally had the upper hand, landing a few well-aimed punches of his own. Ignoring the pain flaring in his shoulder, he didn't stop his torrent of blows. Each hit brought Steve back to the moment of Danny's death.

Each satisfying thud of his hand hitting flesh reverberating through the basement like the sound of the gunshot that brought down his friend.

Steve didn't hear the HPD officers arrive. He almost didn't feel Chin grab him by the shoulder, steadily bringing him back to the present and pulling him out and away from his rage-induced attack. He panted heavily, but nodded reassuringly at Chin, who led him to the opposite wall, and lowered him to the ground with a gentle command to stay seated until an EMT could look at him. It wasn't until that moment that Steve noticed the pain in his shoulder, and he looked down to see the fresh blood seeping through his shirt.

"_Are you okay?"_

Steve snapped his head up. It was impossible, of course. Danny was gone. But he could have sworn he'd just heard the voice of his friend, laced with concern, but with a twinge of trademark annoyance. Steve nodded at the EMT who had actually spoken to him, and the younger man knelt down next to him, poking and prodding at his shoulder wound. The throbbing pain grounded him, and he was strangely thankful for it. He closed his eyes, and as was routine now when he shut out the world, he was taken back to the final moments with Danny.

And then it hit him.

"_Are you okay?"_

Steve realized that Danny's final words to him hadn't been in complaint or annoyance over their botched raid... _everyone has a good plan… until they get shot at…_ No, after that… there had been more. Why hadn't he realized it until now? How had he forgotten?

His shoulder stung with the impact of the bullet, but he had managed to reach Kono's car in one piece. The gunfire around him paused, if for only a moment, but it was enough time for Danny's voice to reach him.

"_Are you okay?"_

Why Steve hadn't registered Danny's final words to him until this moment, he could only guess. Maybe he was so caught up in the intensity of the firefight that he hadn't really heard him. Maybe he didn't want to think about his friend being concerned with Steve's well-being instead of focusing on his own self-preservation instead. Or maybe Steve just needed the time to accept the fact that Danny was gone, and no amount of vengeance or payback was going to bring him back.

Would he ever be okay? Probably not. Not truly. He'd lost men in the field of combat before, some of whom he had even called friends. But he'd never lost someone like Danny. And he would carry the scars, both physical and emotional, of that loss forever.

Absently, Steve pulled his phone out of his back pocket and hit speed-dial, closing his eyes to shut out the pain of the present, even if it meant reliving the pain of the past.

"_This is Detective Danny Williams. I'm not available. Please leave a message."_


	23. W is for Wounded

**A/N:** Episode tag for 2x14.

**************************- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
><strong>W is for Wounded<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - - - - -<strong>**************************

"_You hungry?"_

_"Yeah," Danny replied, happy with the change of subject.  
><em>

"_I'll buy you a Zip Pack. Come on. My treat."_

* * *

><p>Dinner had been nice, although a bit more quiet than Steve was used to when dining with Danny. The two partners never had a hard time filling in the silences with discussions about work, Grace, the Navy, or other topics that could be categorized as small talk. Early in the meal, Steve tested the waters… hoping to get his friend to open up about the day's events.<p>

"How are you? The truth."

"How do you think I'm doing?" Danny's response was so predictable that Steve almost rolled his eyes. _The Williams tactic #1 on how to avoid answering a question: ask a question right back_. It was an approach Steve was very familiar with.

"You seem to be taking it well, considering… you know…"

"Spit it out, Steven," Danny replied, setting his fork down on the table and, for the moment, giving his partner his full attention. "I'm a big boy."

Steve looked his friend in the eye. "Considering you just delivered a baby you once thought was yours."

"I'm fine," Danny immediately answered with a wave of his hand and a smile before diving back into his dinner. His response was said with such force and finality that Steve knew better than to ask again. And though he wasn't a cop, like Danny still enjoyed reminding him on occasion, he didn't need to be one to notice how Danny had changed.

In the hospital, Danny had been happy. Almost giddy. Yet Steve had a hunch that his partner was merely putting on a show. Whether it was for Grace's benefit, or it was some sort of coping mechanism, he wasn't sure. But when they had stood together, looking into the nursery, Steve could see something in Danny's eyes that didn't reflect the happiness he was trying to exude. And though the car ride to Zippy's had been full of conversation of how the birth had gone, with each passing moment, Steve watched as Danny's contentment ebbed away.

Stories were shorter. Laughter was minimal. Hand gestures were nonexistent. And occasionally Steve caught him staring off at nothing in particular, a far-off look in his eyes. Steve was able to pull his friend out of it by asking about Grace, but after a few minutes of chatting about the light of his life, Danny would again fall quiet.

It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was just… different.

When the meal was done, Steve invited Danny over to his place for a few beers. Not surprisingly, Danny declined, citing reasons of wanting to be alone and needing to catch up on some sleep. And that was that. Steve didn't know what else to do for his partner, so they departed ways for the evening.

That was why Steve was surprised to find Danny, three hours later, sitting on the beach in his backyard.

It was the clanking of bottles that had lured Steve out from a restless slumber. Slipping on a shirt and snagging his SIG from his bedside table, Steve crept down the stairs, quickly discovering that his stealth was unnecessary when he saw the lone figure of his partner silhouetted against the full moon's light. Stepping out into the evening air, it became obvious rather quickly that Danny was drunk.

Really_, really_ drunk.

"Danny?"

Danny twisted his body around to look at his partner. "Steve! Come have a beer with me." Steve walked across the sand and sat down next to his partner. Danny handed him a bottle, which Steve accepted, but didn't open. He didn't miss how his partner swayed slightly, even though he was seated on the ground.

"You've had a bit more than just a few beers, haven't you?"

"Stunning detective work," Danny said with a thin smile, taking a long pull from his beer and staring out at the ocean.

It occurred to Steve that he had never seen Danny drunk. They've shared a few beers together from time to time… whether it was after a difficult case or on a weekend Danny didn't have Grace… but not once had his friend crossed the line into drunkenness. For the second time that day, Steve wasn't sure how to help his partner. It was obvious that Danny was suffering. But this was new territory for Steve, so he waited silently; hoping that just his presence would help in some way to ease Danny's pain.

Again, the silence was a little unnerving, so Steve let his gaze wander to his friend. Danny's face was flushed against his usually pale skin. _How long had he been drinking? Did he drive here? _His brow was furrowed as he squinted out at the waves lapping against the shoreline. _'I'm fine,' he'd said earlier. This is not fine! _His button down shirt was un-tucked and rumpled, sand caking up and getting everywhere. _Oh, Danny. This is affecting you more than you let on. _One hand was clung tightly to his bottle of beer; the other clenched into a fist, dark, dried blood crusted on his knuckles…

_Blood?_

"Danny! What did you do?" Steve demanded loudly, grabbing Danny by the wrist to look at his hand. There was a deep gash running the length of his hand, his knuckles also deeply cut and bruised. Through the smearing of dried blood and sand that had caked on, Steve could see that the wound hadn't just happened…

Danny unsuccessfully tried to yank his hand away, but Steve held firm, still trying to assess the damage. "Lemme go, Steve!"

"What happened? When did this happen?"

Danny abruptly stood up, and immediately Steve could see his partner rock heavily backward. Jumping to his feet, he steadied his partner and gently led him back to the house. After Danny was settled on the sofa, Steve retrieved his first aid kit and knelt in front of his friend to begin cleaning and wrapping his hand.

"Are you just going to ignore me? Or are you going to tell me what happened?" Danny shrugged, but remained mute. "No way, partner, you aren't getting out of this," Steve continued.

Danny averted his eyes as Steve finished disinfecting the wound. It wasn't until several minutes later, when Steve had finished wrapping the cut, did Danny finally speak up.

"I may have punched a mirror," he mumbled.

Steve nodded at the revelation. He had figured as much.

Sighing, Danny rubbed his face with his non-bandaged hand, before leaning back against the couch cushions and closing his eyes. "It hurts, you know?"

"Of course it hurts," Steve retorted. "You'll probably need stitches."

"No," Danny answered, shaking his head, but keeping his eyes shut. "Not… not the hand. Rachel. The baby. All of it."

Steve held his breath, waiting. His earlier hunch had been correct. Danny no longer had to fabricate any delight in the birth of Stan and Rachel's son, and when Danny opened his eyes, Steve could see the pain and heartache. When it appeared as though Danny may not continue, Steve reached out and put a hand on his shoulder to give a reassuring squeeze.

Danny shook his head, and then suddenly laughed. "You know, my relationship with Rachel is like a wound. A wound that just won't close." Danny held up his damaged hand, eyeing it carefully. "Each time I'm with her, it's like the wound re-opens. But it's like… it's like I _like_ it, you know?"

Danny earnestly looked at Steve, who nodded sympathetically. He didn't understand Danny's relationship with his ex-wife, and he doubted he ever would. But he did know that the New Jersey native still loved her, even if he tried to hide it or shrug it off as no big deal. He'd seen what Danny had gone through when Rachel and Grace had left for New Jersey without him. And he knew what staying behind had cost him.

"Bet you didn't know I was a philosophical drunk," Danny added with a smile and Steve smiled back. The smile quickly disappeared, and Danny shook his head and looked down again at his hand, already absently picking at the material that protected his injury. "I thought I could just go home and forget. Forget about today. About the past seven months. About my whole, screwed-up relationship with Rachel. But being in that hotel room, all it did was remind me."

"Remind you of what?"

Danny looked back at Steve with watery eyes. And with a hitch in his throat, he said, "Remind me that I'm alone."

Steve gave another small squeeze on the shoulder before standing up, and pulling Danny up with him. "Come on, buddy. Stay here tonight. Let me fix the couch for you."

Danny didn't put up an argument as Steve bustled around the house, grabbing blankets and a pillow for his partner. A few minutes later, the couch was set and Danny was asleep. Steve locked up the back of the house before returning to the living room to look at his sleeping partner.

"I've told you once before, Danny," Steve whispered. "You're not alone."

Although he had little experience in the area of relationships, he hoped that tomorrow he'd be able to help his friend move past the one that was causing him so much pain. Turning on the television, Steve crept back upstairs, quietly shutting the door behind him.


	24. X is for XRay

****************************A/N:**************************** This isn't really an episode tag for 2x8, but I suppose you could say that there are spoilers/references to that episode.**************************  
><strong>************************

****************************- - - - - - - - - -  
><strong>X is for X-Ray<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - -<br>******************************

"Would you relax? You're like the Energizer Bunny." Steve glared at his partner's accusation, but didn't stop bouncing his leg. "He's going to be fine."

"I'm not worried, Danny," Steve argued.

"Then what is with you?"

"Nothing. I just... I don't like hospitals."

Danny raised a single eyebrow up at Steve's revelation. "No one likes hospitals, Steven. But this," he paused, moving his hands out in circles to illustrate the waiting area they sat in, "is not a hospital."

"Close enough," Steve mumbled.

"You're making me nervous. Just please, cut it out, okay?" Steve didn't respond, but the bouncing stopped. The two men sat in silence for the remainder of their wait, which thankfully wasn't much longer. Finally, they were both escorted back into a large, brightly lit room that comfortably housed four chairs and a long examination table. Other than a copy of a degree that hung on the wall, the room was surprisingly dull.

"Seems like they could brighten up the place a little," Danny mused, staring at the bare walls. "Throw up some pictures or something."

"Of what?" Steve asked, settling into one of the chairs. "I doubt the patients of this office care what's on the walls."

"Well aren't we just a ray of sunshine," Danny snarked, crossing his arms and glaring irritably at his partner. "Tell me again why you insisted on coming with me today."

"I don't know," Steve shrugged, a grin playing on his lips, "I just thought you'd like the company."

"Or," Danny said, throwing him a look, "you have a stunted social life and you had nothing better to do on a Saturday."

"I have a social life!"

"Mmhmm." Steve went back to bouncing his leg as they continued to wait, and Danny sighed. "You do realize that nothing is going to happen today, right? No surgery. No medical procedure of any kind. I'm just getting the results."

"I know," Steve replied, but he couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice, which only irritated Danny all the more.

"Why is this so important to you?" Danny demanded.

"Why isn't it important to you?" Steve shot back.

"I don't believe this!" Danny shouted. "Are you actually mad at me for not being mad?"

"Well, you don't seem to be that upset about it," Steve replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, no, that's where you are wrong, McGarrett. I'm _thrilled_ that I get to spend the afternoon here. You know why?" Danny asks, punctuating his rhetorical question by jabbing his hands out in the air. "Because not only do I get to spend the afternoon here at the Vet's office, but I also get to fork over who-knows-how-much cash to get Makana X-rays and medication and whatever else the doc decides to pawn off on me! And _why_ am I here? Because he swallowed that stupid key that you _insisted_ I have made for you!"

"So now it's my fault that Grace's dog swallowed the key?"

"Yes!" Danny huffed, throwing his hands out. "He wouldn't have swallowed the key if I had never had it in the first place! But no… you just _had_ to have your own key to my car. _My_ car, Steven."

"Yes, and how convenient that he ate my key and not yours!"

"You are such a child," Danny growled as he rolled his eyes at his partner. "You honestly think I wanted Makana to eat your key? That I somehow orchestrated this entire thing just because I think… no, I _know _you have control issues that need to be addressed… first and foremost is your desire to drive my car on a daily basis?"

"I do not have to drive your car on a daily basis," Steve defended.

"Oh really? Who drove us over here?" Steve opened his mouth, but closed it just as quickly. "Exactly," Danny pointed at his partner. "And that was without having your own key, too."

The two partners glowered at each other for a moment before the sound of someone clearing his throat drew their attention toward the door. The veterinarian strode in, briefly shaking hands with Danny, before pulling out the x-ray film and tacking it up to the medical imager.

"I have good news, Mr. Williams. Makana did not suffer any internal damage from swallowing the key. As you can see here," he stated, pointing at the film, "the key has already begun its journey out of Makana's body. You should see it's reemergence within a few days with no complications."

"Fantastic," Danny said, clapping his hands together once before reaching out to shake the Vet's hand again. "Thanks again. When can I bring him home?"

"We had to sedate him for the procedure, but he is already showing signs of waking. If you'd like to wait in our lobby, I'll have someone bring Makana out to you within the hour."

Danny thanked him again and moved to follow the Vet out of the office, stopping only when he realized that Steve wasn't behind him. He turned to see his partner looking up at the X-ray film, a small tilt to his head as he studied it.

"Yo, Steve, let's go, babe."

Steve pointed curiously up at the report. "What did he mean by reemergence?"

"Seriously?" Danny brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Did you not learn biology in SEAL school?" Steve's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at his partner, but Danny continued. "I told you, they weren't going to do surgery or anything. He was quite sure before the X-ray that Makana would just need to pass the key out. We just wanted to make sure everything was alright in the meantime. Why are you making that face?"

Steve's lip was curled slightly as he looked at the image up on the illuminated screen, the shadowed silhouette of the key appearing large on the film's report.

"You know, you're right," Danny smirked, walking up to his partner and slapping him on the back. "You do deserve your own key to my car. So don't worry about all of this." Steve turned to look at his partner and Danny plastered as big and innocent of a smile on his face as he could. "You'll get your key back in just a few days!"

* * *

><p>Makana is Hawaiian for "gift." I thought it might be an appropriate name for Grace to give her new dog.<p> 


	25. Y is for Yes

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><strong>Y is for Yes<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - -<strong>******************************

When he woke, it was slowly; the darkness ebbing away to a brightness that was so overwhelming, he dared not open his eyes again. His head throbbed, and he could feel the warmth of his own blood caked on the side of his face. It contrasted starkly against how the rest of his body felt. The cold seeped in through his pores, and he shivered uncontrollably. It must have been that slight movement that alerted his consciousness to the other inhabitant in the room.

"Steve? You awake?"

He made no attempt to answer his partner, even though he could hear the worry in his voice. He was tired, in pain, and unexplainably cold, all of which rooted him to the spot. He felt a hand on his shoulder shake him slightly, and just that small movement caused a spike of pain to flare in his head. He heard a groan echo around him, and it took him a few moments to realize that it was he who made the sound.

"C'mon, Steve, rise and shine."

Steve complied, finally squinting his eyes open once more. It took a few moments for his vision to clear and he slowly lolled his head to take in the detail of his surroundings. He was lying on the floor of small, windowless enclosure, probably 20 feet long by 20 feet wide. The room was illuminated by several exposed bulbs which gave off a bright blue iridescent glow. He could hear the quiet hum of a generator running, and could feel the chilled breeze of air circulating around him.

"Where are we?" Steve didn't miss the fact that he could see his own breath leave his lips when he spoke.

"Trapped in a giant freezer," Danny replied dryly as he squatted down next to Steve, his movements causing small clouds of fog to dance and swirl around him.

"Yeah, I gathered that much." Steve took a deep breath and pushed himself up off the floor, leaning back against the frigid wall behind him. He cast about in his flitting memories, trying to find the missing link of time between being _out _of the freezer and being stuck _in_ it. "What happened?"

"I'll go with the short version," Danny said as he slowly stood. He began to pace, wrapping his arms tightly around his chest and rubbing them as he wandered in a wide circle. "We followed Moxley and his bodyguard to this place," he gestured with a wave of his arm. "We took heavy fire, you got conked in the head with a two-by-four, and went down pretty hard. I saw some light coming out from a door, dragged your ass over to it, and threw you inside. I ducked in too, thinking I'd pick 'em off once they came in."

"Only they didn't," Steve concluded.

"Nope. They shut and locked the door behind me before I realized what this room really was."

"A freezer."

"A death trap is more like it."

Steve ignored Danny's pessimism. "How long was I out?"

"About thirty minutes."

Steve nodded, the pain once again grounding him to the spot. Reaching up a hand, he tentatively poked and prodded his head, trying to assess the damage. He was still bleeding, though the flow seemed to have slowed. Head wounds were notoriously known as heavy bleeders, making them appear worse than they actually were. That hardly reassured him, though, as another drop of blood trickled down the back of his neck. Steve knew that he didn't have time to worry about himself and his wound. He had to focus on getting him and Danny out of here alive.

First option: find a way out.

Using the wall for support, Steve slowly got to his feet, swaying for a moment, before heading directly for the locked door. He pushed his weight against it, but it didn't even budge. Next, he tried ramming his shoulder against it, but again, there was no give.

"Hey!" Danny shouted, jogging to Steve's side when he saw his partner wince against the pain. "I already tried that. It's sealed from the outside."

"I have to try something, Danny," Steve said.

"I know that," Danny responded with the air of someone speaking to a small child. "But I've already tried everything I can think of. And, in case you've forgotten, you are bleeding. From the head. Don't further injure yourself trying to ram through the wall, okay?"

Steve noticed his Sig on the ground a few feet in front of him. Pushing away from the wall, he walked over, retrieved his weapon, and spun around, firing at the door's mechanism in hopes to damage it enough to kick it open.

"NoNoNo!" Danny yelled. "Are you trying to kill us?"

"Danny, we're going to freeze to death if we don't get out of here, okay? Do you understand that?"

"Of course I understand that!" Danny yelled again, taking a step closer to his partner. "But if you haven't noticed, these walls are made of steel. Bullets like to ricochet off of steel. So cut it out!"

Steve's shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily. Perhaps escape from within wasn't a possibility after all.

Second option: alert someone to their presence.

Steve reached into his back pocket and pulled out his cell. No bars. He walked from one end of the freezer to the other; first reaching up high, and then down low. Still no reception. He turned to look at Danny, who was still rubbing his arms absently in the center of the room.

"You have any bars on your phone?"

"No," Danny reported, but made no effort to check.

"But you didn't even…"

"Have you not been listening to me? I said I already tried everything, okay?" Danny had never sounded so defeated, and Steve, despite his training demanding him to keep trying something… _anything_… was forced to accept that perhaps there was no way out of this situation.

Third option: find a way to survive until help arrives.

Steve noticed a thermometer over Danny's shoulder, and he pointed. "What's the temp in here?"

Danny narrowed his eyes at his partner before turning around and glancing at the device. "Minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Okay," Steve nodded, pocketing his cell. "That's useful information, thank you."

"How is that useful?" Danny demanded, thrusting his arms out in front of him.

"Well, it means that we've got probably two hours before we freeze to death, a quarter of which has already passed."

Danny's mouth gaped open before it closed again. "Oh, yeah. Quite useful, thanks."

Steve made his way to the side of the freezer, leaned his back against it, and slowly slid to the ground. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, attempting to retain as much body heat as possible. It was nearly impossible to control his shivering now, and he noticed Danny was unable to either.

"Come here," Steve told his partner, gesturing to his left. "We need to stay still and huddle together."

"Excuse me?"

"To retain body heat. Your pacing around is depleting your body's energy reserves. We need to huddle together," Steve repeated, "so we can delay the onset of hypothermia."

"Let me guess. One of your classified missions took you to Antarctica," Danny grumbled, but he complied, sliding down next to his partner so they were side-by-side, their shoulders touching.

"No. But I did have to go through something similar in SEAL training."

"Of course you did," Danny replied, his teeth beginning to chatter. "Freezing to death in Hawaii. What a way to go."

"We're not dead yet." Steve tried to put as much conviction into that simple statement as he could, but he knew it fell flat. "Listen, we need to stay awake. We stay awake, we can stay alive."

Danny nodded. "Until Chin and Kono can find us."

Steve looked at his friend and saw the skepticism in his eyes. They both understood that the chances of Chin and Kono finding them were slim. But they'd never given up a fight before. And now would be no different. Pulling his legs up tighter to his chest, Steve watched as Danny also pulled his legs up, resting his head against his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around both so that his face was hidden from view. His body shook uncontrollably against the cold. Steve reached out and put an arm around Danny's shoulders, who immediately tensed.

"What are you doing?" Danny demanded without lifting his head, his voice muffled from beneath his arms.

"Keeping us warm. Get over it, Danno."

Danny didn't move away and the two of them sat in silence for a few moments, trembling against the cold that weighed heavily on them both.

"How's Gabby?"

"How's Catherine?"

Steve managed to smile at Danny's immediate redirection. It had been ages since he'd heard Danny mention the museum curator's name.

"She's good," Steve replied. "She arrived on the island this morning."

"So I can expect you to be grinning like a goof for the next few days?" Danny asked, his eyes now peeking out from behind his arms.

"Something like that," Steve agreed. Neither needed to add '_if we get out of here'_… they were both thinking it. Steve cleared his throat. "Actually, I, uh, I was planning on proposing."

Danny slowly lifted his head to look at his partner. "Really?"

"Really."

"Huh," Danny said, burying his head back into his arms.

"What do you mean, 'huh'?" Steve questioned. This time, Danny straightened; his head leaning back slightly against Steve's arm.

"Nothing," Danny defended. "So, are you going to propose while jumping out of a plane together? Or while wrestling a shark?"

Steve snorted. "No." Then he paused. "Actually, I hadn't thought how I was going to propose yet, but I want it to be perfect. I was hoping you could give me some pointers."

"Me? Why me?"

Steve looked him in the eyes. "Because you're my best friend, Danny. And I was hoping you'd be my best man." Steve watched as a wave of emotion crashed on his partner's face. Danny smiled and nodded, and Steve continued. "Besides, you've gone through this before. How did you get Rachel to say yes?"

"Oh, yeah, cuz that ended so well," he smirked through shivering lips. Danny began to fidget, his arms rubbing up on and down on his thighs in a futile attempt to warm them. Eventually he stopped, re-wrapping his arms around his torso. "I had planned a really romantic evening. Our favorite restaurant. Champagne. Hotel room. The whole nine yards. It was going to be perfect. Then… well, then 9/11 happened." Danny paused, and Steve allowed him the moment. He had never thought about where Danny had been on that fateful day… or how he could have been affected. He was certain, based on the look in his partner's eyes, that he was reminiscing on more than just his botched marriage proposal.

"Anyway," Danny continued, "my precinct was called in to help… with… y'know… and I had to leave for the city pretty quickly. I didn't know when I'd be back, s…so I ended up proposing on the steps leading up to Rachel's apartment. Not exactly the m…most romantic gesture, but she said yes. She said y...yes, and I couldn't believe it." Danny shifted so he could face Steve. "Are you sure you want to m…marry her?"

Danny's speech was beginning to slur, so it was hard for Steve to tell if Danny was being sarcastic. But his eyes reflected only curiosity and sensitivity.

"Y…Yes," Steve shivered. "I'm sure."

"Then that's… that's all that matters." Danny resumed his spot against the wall with some difficulty, his face turned away from Steve. "Forget about th…the perfect proposal. All you n…n…need is the girl."

They fell once again into silence that was only broken by the sounds of their haggard breathing. Steve was unable to keep track of the time that passed. Minutes… hours…. No matter how much had passed, he knew that they had too little of it left. His shivering had completely stopped and he could no longer feel the cold around him or within him.

"I'm s…s…sorry."

Steve almost didn't hear his partner; Danny's voice was so quiet. He, too, had stopped shaking with the cold, and Steve knew that their time was precariously short.

"Why?"

"For… for g…getting us s…stuck in th…this fr… freezer."

"It's…s…s… n…not your fault, Dann…nnno."

Beside him, Danny minutely shook his head. "C… can't f…f…feel…"

Steve's heart dropped as he watched Danny's head slump forward. He tried to lift his right arm to check his friend's pulse, but his muscles were too stiff and refused to cooperate. What little energy he had left was draining rapidly from him, and he couldn't prevent his own eyes from drooping shut.

He thought of Catherine. _Forget about the perfect proposal_. Danny was right. He'd never been much of a planner, anyway, preferring to do things in the moment. He knew that the right moment… the perfect moment… would be the next time he'd look upon her face. Steve closed his eyes and wished he would have had that chance to look upon her…

…just one last time.

* * *

><p>When he woke, it was slowly; the fog in his mind ebbing away to a brightness that was so overwhelming, he dared not open his eyes again. He expected his head to explode in pain, yet there was none… only the blissful sensation of floating. It contrasted starkly against how the rest of his body felt. The heaviness and exhaustion pulled him downward, and he fought against the urge to slip back into the endless fog, groping outward for anything to cling to. It must have been that movement that alerted his fight with unconsciousness to the other inhabitant in the room.<p>

"Steve? You awake?"

Steve wanted to answer his partner; the worry in his friend's voice bothering him. But he was tired and unexplainably sluggish… both of which prevented him from forming a coherent sentence. He felt a hand on his shoulder shake him slightly, and he heard a groan echo around him. It took him a few moments to realize that it was he who made the sound.

"C'mon, Steven. Wakie wakie."

Steve complied, finally squinting his eyes open once more. It took a few moments for his vision to clear and he slowly lolled his head to take in the detail of his surroundings. He was lying on a narrow bed that was nearly too short for him. The room was dimly lit by a single lamp positioned directly to Steve's left. The pale walls were bare except for a small television mounted on one wall and a single window with its blinds closed. He could hear the soft, constant beeping of a monitor, yet felt nothing but warmth around him.

"Where are we?"

"In the hospital," Danny replied as he eased slowly back into the chair next to the head of Steve's bed.

"Yeah, I gathered that much." Steve took a deep breath and tried to push himself up before Danny stopped him, pushing a button allowing the bed to rise. Steve cast around in his sluggish memories, trying to find the missing link of time between being trapped _inside_ the freezer and being _out_ of it. "How did we get out?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure," Danny said as he scratched his chin. Steve noticed how Danny's face was slightly reddened and swollen, and how his voice seemed a bit lower than normal. "Chin tells me that he and Kono tracked us by using the GPS on the car. Once inside, they saw the light seeping out from underneath the freezer door, opened it up, and found two human popsicles inside."

Steve ignored Danny's misdirected humor. "How long have I been out?"

"About six hours."

Steve nodded. Reaching up a hand, he tentatively poked and prodded his head, remembering his wound. He felt a large bandage secured to his head, but other than that, everything seemed to be in order.

Danny waited until Steve was done examining himself to ask, "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been freezer burned."

"That's actually pretty accurate," Danny smiled. "Listen, you've got a guest waiting for you outside. I just wanted to see how you were doing before heading out."

"You leaving?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. I got discharged a few hours ago. You got banged on the head pretty good, so I think they'll want to keep you a little longer for observation. Don't give the nurses a hard time, okay?" Danny stood and reached out his hand. Steve clasped it and they shook for a moment. "Good luck, buddy."

"Good luck? What are you…?" Steve was cut off as the hospital room door swung open and Catherine strolled through. Danny threw his partner one last look, and with a smile, slid out the door.

"Hey, sailor," Catherine smiled as she walked toward Steve. She bent over and kissed him, and Steve breathed in her warmth, her scent, and her touch as he cupped his hands around her face. Pulling away, her smile vanished as she took in the tears in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Steve managed as he took her hand in his. "There's just something I need to ask you."

Outside in the hall, Danny hovered near the door, listening intently. He couldn't hear what Steve was saying, just the timber of his voice rising and falling. There was a sudden light squeal and muted laughter. Danny walked away, a large grin on his face. It was obvious he'd proposed, and she'd said yes.

Steve had his girl. And nothing else mattered.


	26. Z is for Zapped

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><strong>Z is for Zapped<strong>  
><strong>- - - - - - - - - -<strong>********************************

Danny was light on his feet as he carefully maneuvered around the massive, darkened room. He gripped his weapon tightly, always keeping it out in front of him at the ready. The large space was unfamiliar to him, and the black lighting scattered throughout the area did little to guide his footsteps. He knew others were around him; he could hear them running, and the occasional shout, laugh and grunt giving their positions away. There were only two, however, that Danny pursued. One was Grace – his sweet, innocent little Gracie; the other was the man responsible for this entire fiasco.

And Danny was determined to find them both, no matter the cost.

He'd already been hit at least once in the shoulder, but he ignored it, determined to press forward by nothing but pure adrenaline. Only once during his mission did he come across another person – Chin, who looked a bit awkward without his shotgun, but no less fierce wielding the weapon he now carried. Chin, knowing Danny was on a mission, merely smiled and pointed in the direction Danny should head next. He nodded his thanks, and took off at a run without as much as a backwards glance.

He turned a corner, and stopped dead in his tracks. Grace, his beautiful daughter, was in the strong arms of the man Danny most desperately wanted to take down. Her body did little to hide the larger man's torso, but Danny didn't want to risk hitting her in the crossfire. Careful not to be seen, Danny stepped quickly to his right, crouching down behind a low wall. Raising his weapon, he aimed, held his breath, then…

"We can see you, Danno!"

Danny sighed and straightened up, lowering his weapon as he stepped out from behind his cover. He flashed a smile at Grace before changing his expression to glower at her captor.

"Steven, tell me you are not using my daughter as a human shield."

His partner grinned and lowered a giggling Grace to the ground. She immediately ran up to Danny, wrapping her arms around his legs.

"Oh, Daddy, this is so much fun! I've already zapped Kono two times! And Uncle Steve helped me sneak up behind Uncle Chin and get him too! Laser tag is great!"

She squeezed his legs one more time, then spun around, running deep into the maze of walls and towers in search of someone else to zap. Danny took a moment to shoot his partner in the chest – the high-pitched alarm telling him he'd hit his mark – before chasing off after her. Five minutes later, after their game was over, the group of friends met up in the arena's staging area; laughing about the intense shoot-outs and shenanigans they'd just experienced.

"And then Uncle Steve jumped out from behind the wall!" Grace exclaimed with a large squeal. "He's a good hider!"

Danny smiled as he watched Grace animatedly reenact their latest game. Her face was flushed and her pigtails bobbed up and down as her hands fluidly flowed in front of her. Chin and Kono were kindly listening, each of them smiling down at her as she bounced in place. Steve strolled over to stand next to Danny.

"Thanks for this, Steve. But did you really have to rent the whole place for just us? Seems a bit… expensive."

"Don't worry about it," Steve said, clasping Danny on the shoulder. "Besides, when we cleared Loki's brother of those murder charges last month, he said we could use this place whenever we wanted. I thought Grace might enjoy it."

Danny turned to look at the patron of the laser tag establishment. Loki, who stood down on the lower level of the building, reminded Danny a lot of Kamekona… the large man looking more menacing than he actually was. His younger brother had been wrongfully accused of killing an ex-girlfriend; something that had been pinned on him by a local gang member who had also dated the victim. Clearing him hadn't really been that difficult, but Loki had been grateful. Turning to look again at Grace, Danny noted how she looked happier than he had seen her in a long, long time.

"She is enjoying it," Danny said quietly. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Danno! Let's go again! Kono and I want to be on a team this time! Girls against boys!"

"Yeah!" Kono laughed, giving Grace a high five. "We're going to kick your butts!"

"Aren't you a little tired, monkey?" Danny asked, kneeling in front of Grace so they were eye to eye. "Maybe we should get some lunch first before going in again?"

"Loki ordered some pizza," Chin reported. "Why don't I sit out this time and wait for it to arrive. It should be here by the time your next game is finished."

"Thanks Uncle Chin!" Grace said as she ran and gave him a quick hug. Chin smiled and jogged down the stairs which led to the lobby below. "Let's go, Daddy!" Grace tugged on her father's hand, pulling him back toward the arena.

Minutes later, the two teams were prepped and ready to go. Kono and Grace conspired in a low whisper before the alarm sounded, signaling the start of the game. The two girls immediately split up, and Steve and Danny did the same. Danny enjoyed sneaking up on Grace, scooping her up into his strong arms and tickling her into submission. She'd squeal until Kono came to her rescue, zapping Danny a few times for good measure, until Danny was forced to let her run off again. It wasn't long before Danny spotted Chin near the entrance of the giant room, and he jogged over, Steve meeting him at the same time.

"Pizza here already, Chin?" Steve asked, slightly out of breath.

"No," Chin said worriedly, and Danny's heart sank. "We've got a… problem."

"What kind of problem?"

Silently, Chin pointed out of the doors which led to the laser tag assembly area. Beyond that, Danny could barely see Loki moving slowly to the front entrance of the building and locking it from the inside. Shifting to his left, Danny saw a young man, dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt and black jeans, pointing a Smith & Wesson into Loki's face.

"You've got to be kidding me," Danny mumbled under his breath, immediately turning around to locate his daughter in the darkened maze behind him.

"Robbery?" Steve asked Chin.

"I don't think so," Chin stated grimly. "Loki knew something was up before the guy came in and warned me to hide upstairs until he could take care of it."

"Doesn't look like he's taking care of it," Steve replied, and Danny spun back around just in time to see Loki get smashed in the head with the gun. He heard the sound of footsteps running up behind him, and he turned to see Grace and Kono advancing on them with confused expressions on both their faces.

"What's up?" Kono asked as Danny bent down and quickly picked up Grace.

"Loki's in trouble," Steve reported.

"No, we're in trouble," Danny said, nodding out the glass doors toward the lobby. The young man leering over Loki now peered up toward them, but it wasn't clear if he could see into the dark chamber in which they stood.

"Okay," Steve stated absently, and Danny noticed that he was now in SEAL mode, which did not make him feel any better about the situation. "We need to lure him in here… take him by surprise."

"What?" Danny and Kono asked simultaneously.

"What are you going to do?" Danny demanded. "Blink him to death with your laser gun?"

Steve slowly turned to throw his partner an exasperated look. "No!" His face instantly contorted into a more thoughtful look. "Actually, that might work."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I was kidding, you idiot. You are not bringing him up here. Not with Grace with us," Danny said, his grip on his daughter tightening.

"It looks like we may not have a choice," Chin whispered as he backed slowly away from the door. Outside, Danny could see the young man dressed in black tentatively making his way toward the bottom of the stairs that led up to the arena's entrance. Whether he was drawn there by movement or the sound of their talking, they couldn't know for sure, but in a few mere moments, he'd be at the double doors and would be able to clearly see them. Steve ushered them quietly into the maze and they ducked down behind a large wall.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," Steve began, his voice low and serious. "Danny, you'll give Grace to Kono."

"No!" Danny shouted, keeping his arms firmly wrapped around Grace's torso. "I am not leaving her behind."

"Daddy, it's okay," Grace replied, squirming slightly beneath Danny's snug hold on her. "I'll stay with Kono. You go get the bad guy."

Danny looked into the eyes of his little girl and saw the determination in her eyes. She was trying so hard to be brave for him, yet he knew she was afraid. But, then again, so was he. Giving her another big squeeze, he reluctantly relinquished his hold on her and she scooted over to Kono's lap. Kono nodded at Danny, silently telling him that she would protect Grace, no matter the cost, and Danny nodded back. Steve relayed some information to Kono, who finally scooped Grace up and together they ran deep into the room. Danny didn't take his eyes off of them until they faded into the darkness.

"What's the plan boss?" Chin's question forced Danny to tear his eyes away from where he'd last seen Grace, and focus on his partner.

"We'll split up. Chin, head around to the left of the door. Danny to the right."

"Where are you going to be?" Danny asked.

"Right in the middle. Distract him if you can. I'll take care of the rest." Without any further instruction, Steve set off, with Danny and Chin close behind. As quietly as he could, Danny took up position to the right of the doors. Through the darkness, he could see Chin taking up position on the left. Steve was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, alarms began to blare from within the laser tag arena. Steve wasn't kidding around when he said he was going to lure the man inside. With the amount of noise he was generating, Danny wouldn't be surprised if people on the street could hear the racket. The man outside immediately stepped in and swept his weapon around in the darkness. He barely had one foot through the door before Danny and Chin both blasted him in the face with the bright beams of their laser guns. The hooded individual brought his hands up to shield himself from the light, and that was all the distraction Steve needed. From behind a center wall, Steve bounded forward, tackling the man out of the door and to the ground.

Danny dashed out through the door to see Steve already apprehending the suspect using the cords from his own laser weapon. Keeping a knee on the man's back, Steve bent over to speak into the man's ear.

"What are you doing here?" The man on the floor grunted in response, but offered no other reply. "Hey, answer me!"

"I can help you with that," Loki answered from behind them. He staggered slowly forward, one hand holding a towel to his bleeding head. "This man is part of the gang that set up my brother. He came looking for revenge."

Steve nodded and finally stood, instructing Loki to call HPD and asking Chin to watch over the suspect until they arrived. Together, he and Danny went back into the laser tag arena to give the all-clear to Kono and Grace. At the sound of her father's voice, Grace ran out from the darkness and leapt into his outstretched arms. Danny looked over to Kono, mouthing a silent _thank you _before she nodded in reply and joined Chin outside the room. Danny heaved a sigh of relief and pulled his daughter close as she peered over his shoulder to view the bound suspect.

"You zapped him, Daddy!"

Danny turned to look at the suspect on the ground, who appeared to be grumbling about his bound wrists. "Yeah, Gracie, I guess I did," he laughed. Beside him, Steve harrumphed, so Danny added, "But Uncle Steve helped. A little."

"So who scored more points?"

"Well," Danny shrugged, looking at Steve for guidance. "I don't know how many points a bad guy is worth. Steven?"

"Lots and lots, sweetheart," Steve told Grace with a wink and a smile.

"Does that mean you owe me a dollar?" Grace happily asked Steve.

"I guess so!"

"A dollar?" Danny asked, confused.

"Yeah," Grace continued. "Uncle Steve bet me a dollar that he'd score more points than you! So if you zapped the bad guy, and he was worth lots of points, then I guess you won. And Uncle Steve owes me a dollar!"

"Oh, really?" Danny asked as Steve feigned innocence. "Well, then I guess he better pay up!"

"How about two out of three?" Steve asked. When both Williams' gravely shook their heads and held out their palms, he laughed. "Okay, okay! A dollar for the little lady!" Forking over a dollar bill, Grace pocketed it and then gave Danny a high-five.

"Good job, Danno! I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Grace exclaimed, giving her father another hug.

"Never, Gracie," Danny whispered. "Never."

* * *

><p><em>Wow! Finally made it to the final chapter. Thank you all so much for sticking with it this long, and I wish to say a special thank you to those who took the time to review. They really mean a lot to me... especially during those times where I didn't think I'd finish. So again, thank you.<em>

_Finally, another BIG thank you to sockie1000 and Cokie316 for everything they did to make these mini-stories better, and for all of their encouragement. :)_


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